Blood Of The Family
by Alexa Skywalker
Summary: Anakin has defeated Vader, and, though Sidious still reigns as Emperor, the Jedi remain alive in the underground. Anakin is so done with being the hero; he practically saved the Jedi all on his lonesome, after all. It's their job to deal with the Sith now, and his turn to sit back and relax with his family, right? Wrong. Dead wrong. Sequel to Burned By The Dark.
1. Chapter 1

**Well, hello everyone! Welcome to the first chapter of my new story, Blood Of The Family!  
Author's Note: This is a sequel to my other story, Burned By The Dark. If you don't read that one first, you're likely to be a little bit confused.  
**

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Chapter 1

The Master frowned. "And you've been married to her for more than three _years_?"

Anakin sighed. He'd been over this at least three times with the remainder of the Council, but they still seemed to be having an incredibly hard time accepting that yes, he, Anakin Skywalker, had managed to pull the wool over the eyes for so long. "Yes. For more than three years."

The Council members looked at each other, murmuring among themselves. "I must say, Anakin," Shaak Ti said eventually, "this is very shocking. Particularly considering her pregnancy."

"There's really nothing all that shocking about a married couple having a child," Anakin replied evenly.

Mace frowned. "You know what she meant. You are a Jedi. We thought the rules against attraction were understood."

"I did understand them." Anakin shrugged. "I simply chose not to follow them."

Several of the Council members frowned at his boldness, but none commented on it.

"And you, Obi-Wan," said JachLaan, a recently elected member of the Council, "you were unaware of this?"

Obi-Wan hesitated, but nodded slowly. "Yes, I was." When JachLaan turned back to the other Council members, Obi-Wan sent Anakin an apologetic look. His former padawan only shrugged again. He no longer cared what the Council thought of him and he understood that his former Master had had to tell the truth.

"If you wouldn't mind stepping out for a few moments, Skywalker."

Anakin bowed. "Certainly, Master Windu."

Acacia, who had been waiting outside, pounced on him the minute he emerged. "What did they say?"

"Nothing really. I think they want to discuss things among themselves."

Acacia frowned. "Discuss what things?"

Her brother spread his hands in an 'I don't know' gesture. "I'm not sure."

Acacia shook her head, her frown deepening and her hands on her hips. "They should be hailing you as a hero! Make you a Master on the spot! Two weeks ago, you saved the Jedi Order from utter ruin, and yet they have the nerve to discuss your _future _as a Jedi? It should be set in stone!"

"Shh!" Anakin hushed her, taking her by the elbow to lead her away. "They might hear you."

"I don't care," she mumbled, as she followed her brother outside of the Council building. They soon found themselves standing in the semi-darkness of the underground levels of Coruscant. The area was lit only by the dull street lamps, most of which were turned out to avoid being noticed.

Not that there was much_ to_ notice. The safehouses were almost entirely deserted. Only the members of the Council, their padawans, and some of the younger children with their nursery caretakers remained. The rest had scattered to the far points of the Galaxy.

"What did they say about our being siblings?"

"Not much." Anakin shrugged. "Perhaps it won't matter. It's like Obi-Wan said: the Jedi Order has to change."

"Well, it's not like they're really in charge anymore. The Emperor is." She spit the name with disgust.

"True," Anakin said. "But they remain in charge of the Jedi Order." He winked at his sister. "I bet even Palpatine couldn't keep you away if he tried, though."

"From you? Naw. I might need a break from time to time, but I'll always be around." She grinned. "I've got to see your kids, don't I?"

"Says the one who was worried about whether or not the worlds can handle it."

"I _am _worried. They're just the sort of catastrophe I have to see firsthand."

The siblings burst out laughing, but choked back their guffaws to keep the Council from hearing. "I'm going to tell Padme you said that."

Acacia rolled her eyes. "I'm terrified."

"You should be. She's quite handy with a blaster."

They laughed again, but were interrupted by the sound of their names being called, "Anakin? Acacia?"

"Out here, Obi-Wan."

"Come on in, the both of you."

The siblings looked at each other, shrugged, and did as their Master said. The two entered the makeshift Council room side by side, and Acacia felt a familiar pang in her heart at facing six Council members rather than the normal twelve. Only five members of the Council had survived Order 66: Yoda, Mace, Shaak Ti, and of course, Obi-Wan and Anakin, though the latter was no longer on the Council. Two had been added since: JachLaan and Calleg Din, both talented Knights who were recently made Masters. But, in Acacia's opinion, they were not nearly as talented as Anakin.

"Come to a verdict, we have."

"Yes," Shaak Ti nodded. "We understand that you both were scared and worried at the time you chose to keep your siblinghood a secret. We wish you had told us; that would have been the right thing to do. However, there is no going back to the past, only deciding what to do for the present, and moving forward to the future.

"Acacia, you will stay in the apprenticeship of Master Kenobi. He has done quite well with you. With both of you," she added, nodding and smiling slightly at Anakin. "And we find no reason why you should not remain with him."

Acacia could've jumped up and down for happiness.

"Anakin, you have broken more than one of the attachment laws, however, as your former Master has brought to our attention, the Galaxy is changing. Therefore the Jedi must change as well.

"You behaved more than honorably, going above and beyond the call of duty during Order 66. The Jedi are indebted to you. Without you, we would likely all be dead.

"We have decided that it would be wise for you to stay in hiding with your wife for a time, while we decide upon your future and the future of the Jedi Order."

Anakin and Acacia bowed. "Thank you, Masters." They paused a second, waiting to see if there was anything more the Council wished to say. When no word was spoken, the two bowed once more, turned, and walked out.

Obi-Wan followed them, walking back out of the building. "I'm sorry," he said when they were outside. "I did all I could."

Anakin shook his head. "Don't be sorry, Obi-Wan. I'm not upset. If the Council wishes to be hardheaded about my marriage, they are perfectly welcome to be hardheaded about my marriage. I was about to tell them that I was going to Naboo with Padme, anyway. They simply made it easier by commanding me to do so. This way, I don't have to defy them again."

Obi-Wan gave him a wry smile. "As if that would've bothered you."

"You're right." Anakin grinned. "It wouldn't have."

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**End of chapter 1! Please review!**

**Two things: one, I know BBTD was rated K+, but I chose to rate BOTF T because I'm still not entirely sure what's going to be in it, so this is just to be on the safe side :)**

**And two, what do you guys think of the cover? I'm not sure if I like it or not. I have an idea for a contest involving the picking of a cover... Anyways, just let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey all! Thanks for the reviews, favoriting and subscribing!**

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Chapter 2

Anakin walked into the back room of the ship, smiling when he saw that his wife was awake. "Hey. You're up."

She nodded, pushing herself into a sitting position on the bed. "Sure am."

He sat beside her, brushing some of her hair back with his hand and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "How do you feel?"

"OK, I guess." She laughed a little. "I just woke up, but I still feel like I could sleep for a century." It had been just over two weeks since Padme's encounter with Vader and Sidious, and the doctors had assured them that she would make a full recovery - eventually. Until then, she needed to take her medication and spend a lot of time resting. And she did both, though not without a fair amount of resistance.

Anakin frowned. "Maybe you should go back to sleep."

She shook her head. "Ani, I've been asleep for how long? 6 hours? 7? A few moments up won't kill me or the babies. Besides, I want to see Naboo when we enter the atmosphere."

"Yeah? Why?"

Padme shrugged. "It looks so pretty from above."

"It'll look even prettier once we're there."

"I agree. And I intend to see both."

Anakin cracked a tiny smile. "I've got no chance arguing with a Galactic senator, have I?"

She grinned back, pressing her lips lightly to his. "None at all."

"If ya'll are finished making out, it's time for Padme to take her medication." The husband and wife sprang apart, both of them turning to face Acacia. She stood by the door, not even bothering to hide her smirking grin. "You two act like I don't even know you're married."

"It's instinct." Padme sighed. "We're so used to having to hide, we don't know how to act normal around other people. How to act like a regular married couple."

Acacia shrugged. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's not like you two were ever normal to start with."

Anakin got off the bed and sent a playful swipe in his sister's direction. "Shut up, Caish."

She laughed, and a voice behind her said, "As if that could ever happen."

"Obi-Wan!" Acacia turned to her Master, feigning indignation, while her brother and his wife laughed away.

Her Master ignored her, looking to Anakin and Padme. "We'll be coming in for the landing in about 20 minutes, so she might want to go ahead and take that pill. Eating or drinking anything during a landing isn't something I'd recommend, even on the smoothest of entries."

"Will this be a smooth entry, Obi-Wan?" Anakin teased his former Master.

Obi-Wan gave him a withering look. "While I'm afraid, I couldn't dream of matching your prowess," he replied, "I shall try my best."

Acacia and Padme laughed, remembering several landings of Anakin's that had been light years from even mediocre. But Anakin assumed a serious face, playing along. "It is all we can ask of you."

As Obi-Wan left the room, the whole ship echoed with laughter.

"I'll call 3PO to get you a drink," Acacia said, after she'd caught her breath. "He's been dying to be useful for something. I'll be right back."

Padme sighed, smiling at her husband as his sister left. "I'm so glad you were able to fix him."

"Me, too." Anakin nodded. "For a while there, I was worried he'd never work again."

Padme didn't reply, but a flicker of pain flashed across her face as she remembered 3PO's temporal death and the events that followed.

"Hey," Anakin said, settling down on the bed beside his wife. He could see in her eyes what she was thinking, and he wanted nothing more than to ease her pain. "I'm right here."

Padme smiled softly and kissed the hand he laid against her cheek. "I know."

Acacia returned just then, followed by both C-3PO and R2-D2. After seeing the mangled remains of his best friend, the little astromech had hardly left the protocol droid's side since 3PO had been repaired - a fact that caused no end to the golden droid's annoyance.

"Watch out R2, you nearly rolled over my foot!" he shouted, and the three humans did their best to hold back smirks and chuckles.

R2's beeps were subdued, but 3PO's tone was lighter when he replied, "Oh, of course I forgive you! Just be more careful in the future, if you don't mind."

R2 whistled in reply, then handed the pill to Padme, while 3PO gave her the juice. Anakin looked at his sister. "You couldn't handle that much?"

She shrugged. "Like I said, they wanted to be useful. And," she joked, "I'll get out of whatever work I can."

"What I'd like to know," Padme said, as she swallowed down the medicine, "is why something that's supposed to help tastes so disgusting." She shuddered and downed the rest of the juice to wash the taste out of her mouth.

Anakin shrugged. "Don't look at me. I'm no doctor. I only know what they said."

"Of course you're not a doctor, Ani," his sister teased, "it requires far too much thinking for your tastes."

Anakin shot Acacia a play glare, but she only grinned in return. Padme laughed. "You two," she said, shaking her head.

Acacia giggled, too, and winked.

"Naboo's coming into sight." Obi-Wan's voice came over the intercomm.

"Thanks," Anakin called back. He turned back to Padme and helped her up. Then, with Acacia, the two went over to the window and looked out.

And there it was, just as Obi-Wan had said. The most beautiful planet in all the Galaxy, Naboo. From above, it looked like a sea of turquoise jewels, with dots of a darker emerald for the landmass, and wisps of diamond white as the clouds passed over the planet.

Padme smiled. _Finally,_ she thought, _I'm home._

* * *

Anakin, Padme, and Acacia settled down in the cooled interior of the port building to wait for Obi-Wan, who was registering the ship. Padme leaned against her husband, and Acacia tried to catch a snooze under the hood of her standard-order cloak. It wasn't nearly as comfortable as her old Jedi robe, but it would have to do, as she couldn't afford to wear those garments anymore. Though Naboo was a Jedi-friendly planet, there was always the chance that an Imperial supporter would see her, report her to the Emperor.

And that would be the end of her.

The others were also traveling in disguise, even Padme, who hadn't wanted to attract attention with the fanfare that her arrival would have caused. They all wore simple peasant's clothes, and the boring, standard-issue cloaks that allowed them to blend in with the immigrants and other passengers on the incoming ships.

Acacia had just nodded off, when a crackling voice shook her awake. Beneath her hood, her face shifted into a snarl. She would recognize that voice anywhere. The voice of the one who had taken nearly everything from her. The voice of the Emperor.

She lifted her eyes to look at the screens hanging on the wall in front of them, the screens that presented the leader of the Galaxy's ugly face for everyone to see.

"Hello citizens," he said, in the Basic tongue. "I interrupt your day only to bring you a brief announcement. A new officer is joining our ranks today, one whom few of you know, but who has helped me an inexplicable amount of times behind the scenes." Acacia felt a start of fear and anxiety come from Anakin. She frowned. Why should Anakin be afraid? Could he know something she didn't?

A tall figure clothed entirely in black appeared from outside the camera lens' view. It towered over the Emperor, and its stance seemed threatening, but no expression could be seen behind the huge, black, face mask. As far as Acacia could tell, its whole body was covered in the thick, dark armor, as if this being was constantly anticipating a fight.

"This, dear Galaxy, is my second-in-command, Lord Vader."

Acacia looked over at her brother, but instead of meeting her eyes, Anakin looked away.

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	3. Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

Obi-Wan entered the room, took one look at his three companions, and then at the screens above them. _Oh boy._

He lowered his eyes to meet Acacia's. They were full of shock, but hints of anger and, more than that, _hurt_, danced in the violet. But the expression wasn't directed at him. No, his padawan's amethyst stare was pointed straight at her brother - but he refused to return her gaze.

Obi-Wan looked at Anakin, who met him with a helpless glance. The older man could only shake his head. "The ship's been taken care of, and I bought a landspeeder," he said. "We should go."

Acacia followed her brother, his wife, and Obi-Wan as they headed out to the new landspeeder that would take them to Padme's Naboo chalet. It was the same house they'd stayed in three years before, when Nute Gunray had threatened Padme with assassination, and Acacia and her brother had been assigned to protect the senator.

"Padme-" Anakin started, as they climbed into the landspeeder.

She put up a hand and shook her head. "I'm really tired, Ani," she said. "We'll talk about it later."

Acacia sat beside her sister-in-law, and Anakin put the baggage away in the storage compartment, then took the pilot's chair with Obi-Wan on the passenger side. The younger man nearly shivered from the cold feeling he felt creeping up from the back seat. As he started up the speeder, he sighed. _Just when I thought things were starting to go good, something like this would happen._

* * *

When they arrived at the house, Padme and Acacia hopped out and strode inside, leaving Anakin and Obi-Wan to collect the baggage. They did so silently, Obi-Wan wondering what his friend would do, and Anakin trying to think of a way to fix this mess.

They brought the bags into the living room, where Acacia and Padme were already sitting on the sofa, and set them on the floor.

Anakin sighed. _Might as well get it over with._ "Would you give me a chance to explain?" he asked.

Padme's eyes met his, and the expression in them chilled him. Rather than seeing anger or even hurt in her eyes, both of which he could've taken, he found _nothing_ in the dark orbs. She was looking at him with the same calm, near-indifference she wore when speaking to her Senatorial colleagues. He almost shuddered at the look.

"Of course, Anakin," she said, and he heard the same almost-coolness in her voice. "Go ahead."

He sighed again, already fearing that this would not go well, but at the same time knowing that he had to try. He described his and Vader's fight briefly, skimming over the details. "When the time came to kill him," he finished with a shrug, "I guess I just couldn't do it."

Padme shook her head. "You don't get it, Ani," she said. At least the indifference was no longer there. Now he heard the weariness, and a twinge of hurt reared its head. It pained him more than he'd thought it would.

He knelt in front the two of them. "What don't I get?"

"We're not mad because you didn't kill him," Acacia said, speaking for the first time since they'd seen the newscast. "Much of a nuisance as he's going to be, killing him in cold blood, well, maybe it wouldn't have been the right thing to do.

"We're upset because you didn't trust us with the truth. You lied to us, Anakin."

"I didn't lie-"

"You led us to believe something that wasn't true then! And you told, Obi-Wan, didn't you?" She cast an accusing glance at her Master. She'd guessed as much because of her Master's lack of surprise. "Why not us?"

"I didn't want you to have to worry about him coming back," Anakin said, but his were on Padme while he spoke.

Acacia scoffed. "Well that's all out the window now, isn't it?" Her eyes burned as she looked at her brother, but he never glanced her way.

"I'm not angry, Anakin," Padme said. "But I'm your wife. I want you to be able to trust me with everything." She took her hands in his as she spoke.

"I know. I'm sorry," Anakin said. "I shouldn't have hidden it from you."

Acacia kept quiet. She _was_ upset, and about more things than one.

But Anakin didn't notice. His eyes were for his wife alone as he got to his feet and helped her to stand. "Since Vader _is_ alive, do you think he'll come after us?" Padme asked.

Anakin hesitated, but he knew better than to lie again, and so said, "I don't know. But I won't let him touch you. That much I promise."

Padme smiled. "I know."

Acacia watched as the two left the room, wondering when exactly her brother had forgotten her existence. Obi-Wan came over and wrapped an arm around his padawan's shoulders. "Hey," he said, knowing exactly what she was thinking, "you've still got me."

She managed a weak smile in his direction, before her gaze turned once again to her brother's disappearing frame. _I know,_ she thought. _But it just isn't the same._

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**I'm sorry these chapters are so short. I've been having some writer's block :p. Hope you liked this chapter and please review!**

**Author's Note: Yes, in my version, Acacia went with Anakin and Padme in Attack of the Clones. I actually did write a story about that, but didn't post it, since it wasn't that AU. Throwing in Acacia didn't change the plot very much and I wanted to get straight to the important part of their story.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey all! Thanks for your support! :D**

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Chapter 4

As her and her husband walked along the grassy bank, Padme took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet, lake air. It had been far too long since she'd been back at her home, and even longer since Anakin had been there with her. Looking up into her husband's face, she smiled. Even with the Emperor and Vader around, it seemed that life could not be any more perfect.

"So do you think here would be a good spot?" Anakin asked.

Padme looked at the lush, green grass covering the riverbank and nodded. "Looks as good as any other."

Anakin grinned at her and laid the blanket on the ground. Padme settled beside him, unable to keep the grin off her face. They weren't oblivious to the troubles; they both knew that Vader and the Emperor would likely come for them soon. And yet... while they were out here, just the two of them together, she felt... untouchable. Invincible. She loved Anakin, and Anakin loved her, and together they would get through whatever the Empire threw at them.

At that moment, she was sure of it.

"So," she said, laying carefully on her side in one of the few positions that her growing belly would allow. "I've been thinking."

Anakin groaned. "Oh no, not_ that_ again."

Padme giggled and playfully slapped at him. "Not nice!"

He just laughed and pecked her lips in return. "What were you thinking about?"

She faked a pout. "Maybe I won't tell you now."

Anakin laughed again. "You will. Eventually." And he laid back on the blanket and closed his eyes, knowing that within moments his wife would be unable to resist.

She rolled her eyes, deciding that the topic at her heart was too important to waste time with jokes. "I've been thinking about my family, Anakin."

"Hmm? What about them?"

"Do you think... Do you think it would be a good idea to tell them I'm here? I'm sure they've heard the reports, and they're probably worried about me."

Anakin rolled over, propping himself up on his elbow so he could face his wife. Her dark eyes were sincere, and he could see how much this meant to her. The Jedi let out a long breath through his mouth. "Do you think we can trust them? With the secret?"

"About the Jedi? They know that you're one anyway, and my family will believe me above anyone else. They've never been the kind to stand for tyranny like the Emperor's anyway."

He nodded. "I know."

"And it's my parents' grandchildren, my sister's nieces, nephews or both." She sighed. "This is something I really want to be able to share with them."

Anakin nodded a second time. "And you should be able to." He smiled slightly. "If you think we can trust them with the truth, then I trust your judgement on this."

Her face broke into a wide grin and she leaned forward to kiss him, but pulled back with a gasp as her hands flew to her stomach.

"Padme!" Fear gripped Anakin's heart. "What is it? Are you all right?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes. Sorry." She glanced sheepishly at her husband. "It's just... I felt the babies kick."

Anakin let out a long sigh of relief. "You know you nearly gave me a heart attack, right?"

She just laughed and took his hands in hers, placing them over her stomach to feel their children. Anakin's fear melted away, replaced by joy and love as he felt the little masses beneath his hands. And for the first time, he really felt it. What it might mean to be a father.

* * *

Acacia stood at the balcony, ignoring the slight breeze as it ruffled and tangled her long, curly brown hair. She peeked around the corner of the tall pillar, watching her brother and his wife as they laid on the grass, talked and laughed. She couldn't hear what they were saying, and she sensed they were too caught up in each other to notice she was watching. But that was a good thing; she didn't want to hear their lovey-dovey comments to each other, and she didn't want them to know she was there.

She sensed someone coming up behind her and knew without turning that it was her Master. "They look so... _happy_ together."

She still couldn't see him, but she knew he nodded as he took his place beside her. Obi-Wan stood with his padawan, silent and watching, only Acacia knew his eyes were on her, rather than on the young couple laughing on the green plains.

She sighed. Anakin was her brother, Padme was his wife, and Acacia loved her like a sister. So why was it that she felt such pain in her heart when she watched them? Why was it that she felt an ugly little monster of jealousy rise in her as she looked on? She had been there, right beside Anakin the past three years. She'd always known how much he loved Padme, and sometimes, she'd even helped them get away to be together. She'd been the only human guest at their _wedding, _for stars' sakes.

So why the jealousy _now_? Why did she suddenly feel as if she was no longer a part of this?

Because she wasn't.

The Jedi Order was over for Anakin. He was free of that now. He would stay here with Padme, watch as she had their children, be with her and raise them.

Acacia would go off with her Master, to live the life of a Jedi in the Empirical times. A life of constant hiding, always on the run. She was about to leave Naboo, and she had no idea when she would come back, or even if she would. And her brother, her only living connection to her mother, was too busy with his wife, with his own family to care.

It was like Anakin was slipping through her fingers, but he was so busy making out with Padme, he couldn't even see it.

Acacia sighed again, turning away to face her Master. She could meet his eyes for only a second, and then she dropped her own and walked for the door that separated the house from the outdoor balcony.

"Acacia?" Obi-Wan's voice was quiet, and there were so many questions in the single word. _Are you all right? Do you want to talk?_

_Are you ready?_

Several other inquiries swelled in the silence, and Acacia sensed them all. But all she said was, "Let's go."

* * *

Their goodbye was quick. Obi-Wan and Acacia walked out onto the grassland and announced that they really had to get going. Anakin and Padme did the hospitable thing, insisting that they at least stay the night, but Obi-Wan shook his head, saying that he'd just gotten a message from the Council informing them of an important mission that they really needed to leave for immediately.

Acacia wondered how much of what her Master said was true, and how much of it was for her benefit.

Once the young couple realized that the others could not be convinced to stay, Anakin and Padme stood and said their goodbyes to Obi-Wan and Acacia, both of the former saying how much they would miss the Master-Padawan team.

Padme looked Acacia in the eyes as she pulled back from hugging her. "Thank you so much, Acacia. For all that you've done in the past three years."

Acacia forced a smile in return and nodded. "You're welcome."

_Really, Squirt,_ Anakin whispered in his sister's mind._ Thank you._

At that moment, Anakin felt something in his sister's ForceMark, something so quick and fleeting he barely noticed it. He quirked his right eyebrow slightly in a questioning motion, but she ignored him, so he assumed it had just been his imagination - and he pushed away the nagging feeling that it was far, far more than that.

* * *

Only once Acacia had climbed into the ship beside her Master, only once they were in hyperspace, only once she had claimed exhaustion and went off to the back room to "get some rest," only then did the young girl allow the tears to come. She already missed her brother so much, she _ached_. Her and Anakin had been away from each other before, but this felt different in so many ways. She didn't know when - or honestly, even _if_ - she'd see them again. But she did know that, if she ever did, nothing would ever be the same between them.

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	5. Chapter 5

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Chapter 5

When his padawan returned from crying in the back room, Obi-Wan decided not to question her. The Jedi Master had not gotten close to many females in his life, but he knew enough about Acacia to leave her alone until he sensed she wanted to talk. And, at the moment, her ForceWaves were practically begging him not to say a word.

So he didn't ask about the crying. Instead, he said simply, "Couldn't sleep?"

Acacia shook her head and took the seat beside him. Obi-Wan kept his eyes on the controls, waiting to see if she would break the silence.

As it happened, the Council beat her to the punch. After about 20 minutes of quiet, the commlink beeped, alerting them that someone was trying to get in contact with the ship. Acacia's hand shot out to open the comm, and Obi-Wan felt a prick of sadness in her ForceMark as she realized that it was not her brother calling them, but the Council.

"Master Obi-Wan, Padawan Acacia," Mace said, by way of greeting. "I assume you've left Naboo?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "We have indeed. We're on our way to Coruscant right now."

"Perhaps you should delay that trip."

Obi-Wan frowned. "What do you mean, Master Windu?"

"We've received a distress call from the Outer Rim. We were going to bring you here to Coruscant to brief you on a separate mission, but this is far more urgent, and you are our closest active Jedi at the moment."

"We're coming from Naboo and we're the closest Jedi to the Outer Rim?" Acacia asked.

"Closest _active_ Jedi," Mace repeated, and Acacia tried to hide her frown.

_Oh, right, _she thought._ The _active_ Jedi. More like the dispensable crewmen._

In order to "best preserve the Jedi Order," the Council had decided that only a certain amount of Jedi should remain "active." The others were to lay low and live like normal citizens unless specifically called upon by the Council. The Council had said that active Jedi could be "only the best," like it was some sort of compliment to be chosen. But even the youngest youngling could clearly see that the active Jedi, since they were in fact, active, were the most likely to be caught by the Emperor and killed.

Acacia still wondered whether or not her Master had approved the plan.

"All right." Obi-Wan's voice called Acacia out of her thoughts, and she watched as he played with the controls to pull them out of hyperspace. "Where is it that we need to go?"

"I'm sure you remember Master Stass Allie and her padawan, Kadalia Hatnim."

"Of course," Obi-Wan said, and Acacia's heart sped up._ Kady?_ Was she all right? Was she even alive?

Master Windu was happy to answer her unasked questions. "We have received a distress message from them. From Utapau."

"Utapau?" Obi-Wan frowned with surprise. "I knew they were stationed in the Outer Rim before Order 66, but-"

"We didn't station them in Utapau. Apparently, they went there shortly after Order 66. It seems they've been bouncing around the Outer Rim, trying to find out what happened to the Jedi Order. They were only recently able to send a message to us, what with all of our new secrecy."

Obi-Wan and Acacia nodded. Few who had not been stationed at the Temple had survived, and most of those who had, did not know of the renovation of the Order. The Empire had spread the rumor that all in the Temple had been killed and their bodies cremated as pieces of the burning Temple crumbled on top of them, so there was no reason for anyone to check for survivors. Plus, if you're all hiding and running for your lives, and everyone is keeping themselves on the down low and the hush-hush, well, it's incredibly difficult to get into contact with one another.

"You two are to go there, give any help they require, and bring them back here before the Council."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Understood."

Mace gave a small smile. "Good."

* * *

"What time is it?"

Anakin chuckled. "Five minutes since the last time you asked me. I'm not sure I've ever seen you this nervous before."

Padme shrugged. "Family brings out the worst and the best, I guess."

Her husband brushed his thumb across her cheek and smiled. "What are you nervous about?"

"I don't know. What they'll say. I know they'll all be upset about my not involving them in this part of my life."

"You couldn't before."

She nodded. "_I_ know that and _you_ know that. What I'm worried about is making _them_ understand. Plus... I've kind of been ignoring their messages since the press conference. I wasn't sure how to explain it all. And Sola's the only one I know who can catch me in a lie."

Anakin chuckled. "You've done a lot of lying in your past?" he joked.

Padme blushed lightly, but smiled. "Oh, you know, little kid stuff. Specifically, who took the last chocolate cookie from the cookie jar when I was six."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Not even going to ask about that. What did they say when you commed them yesterday?"

"Sola practically gave me the third degree over not replying to them, and I threw together some excuse about being busy. I didn't want her to know about the Vader incident."

Anakin nodded. "Understandably."

"They worry for me enough as it is. That part, well, I'd rather keep what they know of it to a minimum."

Anakin frowned slightly. "You're still thinking of going back to the Senate?"

Padme sighed. It had been a topic of recurring debate for the young couple over the past few weeks. Anakin argued that she had to lay low for her own safety, or hadn't she heard about the all the Senate killings? Padme always replied that she had to do her duty, especially now that there were less beings alive willing to fight for what was right. She could hardly sit back in comfort with her family when so much was at stake. "You know I am, Ani," she answered his question. "I know I'll be fine."

"It's not just that I'm worried about. The Senate is very stressful. You don't need that right now."

"I've been able to handle the stress for years, Anakin. Since I was a child. If I could handle it then, I'm pretty sure I can handle it now."

Anakin sighed, knowing it was a losing argument and not liking that a bit.

Padme wanted to say something to comfort him, but before she had the chance, she heard her sister's voice. "Yoo-hoo! Padme! We're here!"

Anakin cracked a tiny smile. "I suppose no one knocks on Naboo?"

"Oh hush!" she replied, laying a quick kiss on his lips. "Stay here until-"

"I know, I know. I remember the plan."

She kissed him one more time. "Good." Then she slid off his lap and left the bedroom, heading toward the front entrance.

"Hi!" she cried, smiling widely as she approached her family. Her mother laughed with relief and joy; she had been slightly reassured once she'd gotten the message, but seeing her daughter alive and happy gave her so much more than any comm ever could.

Jobal Naberrie reached out, hugging her youngest daughter tightly, and it was only when she was pressed against her that she felt the bulge underneath her tunic. "Padme," she gasped in surprise as she pulled back to look her daughter over. "When I heard you were pregnant..." She shook her head. "How far along are you?"

"A little over 6 months, nearly 7."

A small frown danced over Jobal's lips and Padme looked away, turning to her father. She didn't want to feel the guilt of knowing she'd kept them in the dark for so long.

Ruwee's eyes were full of simple, fatherly love and she fell into his arms like the little girl she had once been. "It's so good to see you, Dad."

"You, too, princess."

Sola and her husband, Darred, were next in line for the hugs, and last, but not least, came Padme's nieces, Ryoo and Pooja. "Oh, you girls have gotten so _big_!"

The girls both grinned, wide, toothy smiles, and Ryoo said, "It is wonderful to see you again, Aunt Padme."

"We missed you!" Pooja added.

Padme laughed. "I missed you both, too."

"Now where's this husband of yours?" Sola asked. "I'm desperate to meet him."

Padme rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you are. He'll be along in a little."

"How long's a little?"

Padme ignored her sister's question and gestured toward the living room. "Come in and sit down, won't you?"

Her family followed her inside and sat down on the couches. As soon as they were settled and Padme had offered iced tea and cookies, Sola said, "The father?"

Padme sighed, knowing she could avoid the subject no longer. She eyed her nieces, and Sola took the hint at once. "Ryoo, Pooja, why don't you two go play outside?"

"But-" Pooja began, but her sister interrupted. "We have to, Pooja. Mommy and Daddy and Grandpa and Grandma want to talk grown-up talk with Aunt Padme."

Padme bit back a laugh, smiling at the girls. Pooja's eyes widened in understanding and she nodded, following her older sister out the door. "Ryoo's a smart one," Padme said.

"She takes after me," Sola replied. "Now the fa-"

"Fine, fine, Sola!" Padme laughed. "You never do give up. First, though, I need you to understand something: he's... he's not exactly what I said he was at the press conference."

"I knew it!" Sola cried triumphantly. "He _isn't_ just a man who likes his privacy! He's got a dark secret, doesn't he? A hideous scar? Or is he-"

"Not exactly, Sola. He did and_ does_ need his privacy when it comes to his relationship with me. It's just a bit more complicated than that. He's just," she shrugged. "He's not who you would expect, I guess."

"Please, Padme, just stop trying to prepare us and let us see him for ourselves!" her sister insisted.

Knowing there was nothing more for her to say or do, Padme nodded. "All right, then. Ani, come on out."

The moment Anakin appeared around the corner, every Naberrie mouth in the room dropped wide open. "Mom, Dad, Darred, Sola, I would like you all to meet my husband, Anakin Skywalker."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry**** I'm late on posting! I went to party last night and didn't get the chance to! But thank you all for your patience! :D**

**So I up and decided to put a disclaimer at the beginning to make sure no one gets any crazy ideas about me owning Star Wars (if only) I do not own any of the characters or the settings. I own only Ace Skywalker (read BBTD if you don't understand) and Acacia Lars.**

* * *

Chapter 6

Darred was the first to recover. "That is Anakin Skywalker."

Padme nodded. "That's what I said."

"But's he... What? How-"

"That's _wonderful_, Padme!" Sola squealed, interrupting her husband. "It's so romantic, with him being a Jedi. I knew you two liked each other! I just _knew_ it!"

"Who can doubt your romantic intuition, Sola?" Padme asked dryly, and her husband chuckled as he sat down beside her.

"You are married to her, Anakin, aren't you?" Ruwee asked. He wasn't exactly happy about this young man simply waltzing in and taking his daughter, but he could be slightly less angry if they were at least bound in marriage.

Anakin nodded. "Yes, sir."

"He still calls you sir!" Sola grinned. "He's _adorable_, Padme! Don't you think so, Mama?"

Jobal forced a smile and nodded, looking her newfound son-in-law up and down. When she had first heard of her daughter's secret marriage, Anakin had been the first person to pop up in her mind as a candidate. But she'd pushed the thought away immediately, sure that it couldn't be true. He was a Jedi, after all. And the two were rarely seen together in public.

And yet... here they were now.

"Tell us everything from the very beginning, Padme," Sola commanded, still grinning widely. "I want to hear it all."

Padme looked over at her husband, who nodded. They'd already agreed on what to tell her family and so they launched right into the story, explaining how they'd fallen in love on Naboo and secretly married after the first battle of Geonosis. They skimmed over the details of their dangerous exploits in the Clone Wars, quickly coming to the point where they described the events of the past month: Padme telling Anakin of her pregnancy, the time before the eradication of the Jedi, and the true reason behind Order 66. They chose to say nothing of Vader's capturing Padme; her family looked worried enough as it was.

All except for Sola. She smiled dreamily when they'd finished. "It really_ is_ as sweet and romantic as I thought it would be."

Anakin struggled to keep a straight face. Sure, _some_ parts were "sweet and romantic," but the majority of the last three years? Well, let's just say "sweet and romantic," were the very last words he would've used describe them.

Padme felt the same, but knew it would be useless to say anything on the subject.

Jobal spoke for the first time: "Anakin, you didn't even know of her pregnancy until she was five months along?"

Anakin sensed there was something about that fact that bothered her. In truth, there was a lot about it that bothered _him_, but it wasn't like there was anything he could have done about it then, or could do about it now. "No, I didn't."

"Of course not," Darred scoffed. "You were too busy gallivanting across the Galaxy."

Anakin bit back an angry reply._ Gallivanting_ across the Galaxy? As if he traveled across the planets for his own entertainment, while Padme wasted away in the Senate! This man had no_ idea_ of what he had gone through in those months! The difficulties of the missions, the worry over Padme, the anxiety of knowing his little sister was in terrible danger every second. Had it been his choice, no matter how much he did crave the adventure, he would have spent every second with Padme, safe in their Coruscant home.

"Darred, Anakin's a Jedi," Sola said. "You read the papers. He wasn't just _gallivanting_. He was being a hero!"

Darred's glare didn't soften, and Anakin noticed something hardened, angry in his dark gray eyes. Darred nodded, muttering, "Yes, I read the papers. And saw him on the HoloNet. And heard half of Naboo ooh and ahh over him."

Somehow, Anakin guessed that the comment wasn't a compliment.

"Anakin," Sola continued, "what are you going to do now? Is the Emperor after you?"

"I'm not sure he knows I'm alive," Anakin lied. There was no reason for them to worry overmuch, after all.

She nodded. "Of course." She paused a moment before continuing. "There's one other thing I still don't understand, though. Why did you have to keep the whole thing a secret in the first place? Are Jedi not allowed to get married or something?" She laughed a little, like it was a hilarious joke.

"Yes," Anakin said.

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, Jedi are not allowed to get married."

"_Really_? So it was a forbidden love?" She looked from Padme to Anakin, and Padme sighed as she nodded, knowing that this would bring on another bout of her sister's gushing on their "romance."

"Oh that is so-"

"Romantic," Padme interrupted. "We've heard."

"Well, excuse me, Padme. But it is sort of like a fairy tale."

"Hardly," the senator muttered, but she decided not to push it. Why ruin her sister's fun?

"What about the other Jedi? That little girl you had with you before? What was her name?"

"Acacia. She's my sister. She's... well, I'm afraid I'm not really allowed to say."

Sola nodded. "Oh, of course, I understand. Top secret and all."

"Pretty much."

Sola was about to go on, when her daughters reentered - and stopped short upon sighting Anakin. "Wow," Ryoo murmured.

"It's you!" Pooja squealed, running up to the Jedi and throwing her arms around him. "I remember _you_! Do you remember me?"

It took Anakin a second to recover from his surprise at the embrace, but then he smiled down at the little girl as she pulled back, ignoring the chuckles of those around them. "Yeah, I remember you. Pooja. The one who wanted to be an astromech droid when she grew up."

Pooja shook her head. "Not anymore! _That_ was when I was little. Now, I'm a big girl, and I wanna be a starfighter pilot. And maybe a Jedi! Will you play a game with me later?"

"Pooja, don't bother him," Sola scolded.

But Anakin shook his head, smiling at the little girl. "Oh, I don't mind. I'd be happy to play a game with you later."

"Yippee!" Pooja squealed.

Sola turned to her older daughter. "What did you two come inside for?"

"We were wondering if Aunt Padme had any outside toys," Ryoo said. "And you'd been in here for such a _long_ time, we were sure you were done talking."

Padme smiled at her niece. "I think we're done for now."

"Yes," Sola nodded. "If I think up any more questions, I'll ask them later."

Padme chuckled and rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you will."

"Master Anakin?"

"Yes, Ryoo?"

"Are you going to marry Aunt Padme?"

"He already has," Darred told her.

"Really?" Pooja asked. "Why weren't we at the wedding?"

"It was a secret wedding," Padme explained.

"Oh!" The girl's eyes widened with understanding and she nodded. "I like secrets." Turning to Anakin, she added, "Master Anakin?"

"Yes?"

"Are _you_ a secret?"

Anakin gave a half smile. The little girl had quite a bit of insight, particularly for one so young. "In a manner of speaking."

"Yes," Sola agreed. "So there will be no telling your school friends about him, all right?"

The girls nodded solemnly, and Ryoo asked, "Can we tell them Aunt Padme has come back?"

Sola looked over at her sister, who shook her head. "Let's keep that quiet, too, for now, all right?"

The girls nodded. "All right."

"So, if he's married to Aunt Padme," Ryoo began, "is Master Anakin our uncle?"

Darred frowned at the thought of the family tie, but Padme smiled up at him and nodded. "Yes. He is your Uncle Anakin."

As the little girls grinned up at him, Anakin thought, _Well, at least two of them seem to like me. _Glancing at Sola, he added, _Make that three._

* * *

"So, you've been married to Padme for more than three years?"

Anakin turned to Darred, taking a careful breath to make sure his anger didn't spike too high. It wasn't Darred's _words_ that bothered him; it was the prickly tone underneath the words, the tone that told Anakin his brother-in-law was looking for confrontation.

It wasn't like Darred had pretended to like him in the last few hours, as the two suffered through a game with the girls and dinner at Darred and Sola's house together. He'd been as politely cold as Anakin had ever seen a being be, and it grated on him more than if Darred would just come out and say he hated him.

All the women were in other room now, putting the girls to bed. As they'd left, Padme and Sola had suggested that the men stay out in the living room and "get to know each other."

So far, things were not going well.

Anakin nodded, answering Darred's question. "That's what we said."

"And never once did you think to tell her family?"

"Of course we _thought_ about it. But we couldn't."

"To protect _your_ career."

Anakin bit the inside of his mouth, breathed out his annoyance, and replied, "To protect hers, too."

Darred rolled his eyes and snorted. "Let's be honest, Anakin. You forced her to keep your relationship a secret from the people she loved most, put her through that stress and the hardship, you weren't even there for her for most of her pregnancy, and for what? To protect _your_ career.

"Oh, I've seen the newspaper articles. The HoloNews. All talking about you: The Hero With No Fear. You wanted the fame and the glory, but you wanted her, too, so you got your best of both worlds, while she sat back and worried about you. Padme's a good, beautiful, loyal woman; I think even you would be able to see that. But she was just naive enough for you to use her." The sneer turned Darred's formerly-handsome face into a mask of anger, and Anakin felt his own fury boiling in his chest.

It would be easy. Too, too easy. Darred had no idea of his power.

_And he never should._ Padme's voice whispered in Anakin's head, though she had not yet returned. And he knew he would not lift a finger against Darred. Not now, anyway.

"Can't say anything to the truth, can you, Anakin?" Darred's sneer turned to a glare.

"I am disturbed, Anakin," Ruwee said, before he could reply, "that you did not ask my permission before you married her."

_I'm sure Darred made sure to do that with Sola, didn't he?_ "I apologize, but I could not."

"Still protecting his career," Darred muttered.

"You put my daughter in a position where she couldn't trust us. Where she was lying to us." Ruwee shook his head. "I think... I think that you are a good man, that you do have her best interests at heart. But you took her away from us and had her keep the most important parts of her life secret. That is something that will be difficult to forgive."

Anakin didn't say anything to do that. He could see that, for now, there would be no point.

They sat in the icy silence for several moments. After a while, Sola strode in, followed by Padme and Jobal. All three of the men forced smiles for their wives, and hurriedly said their goodnights.

Anakin could not have been happier to get out of there.

* * *

"So how'd it go with all of them?" Padme asked when they returned home.

Anakin shrugged. "Fine."

Padme was too happy to press him. "I feel so free now," she said, still grinning wildly. "It's so nice not to have to keep anything secret from them."

Anakin, remembering the feeling he'd had when he was finally able to tell Obi-Wan the full truth, nodded and said. "Yes. Yes, it is."

* * *

And, though he was happy that she was happy, Anakin laid awake most of the night, thinking about the day. The thing that bothered him the most about what Ruwee and Darred had said? He worried that they were right.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! Thanks for all of your reviews, favoriting, and subscribing. Love you all!**

* * *

Chapter 7

_Utapau. Finally._ Ever since she'd heard who it was they were going to rescue, Acacia had wanted to spring out of her seat and sprint across the whole planet if she had to - anything to find Kadalia. But, at the time, they'd been in hyperspace in the middle of the Galaxy, so that hadn't exactly been an option.

But now, they were here - _finally_ - and nothing would stop her. She wouldn't rest until she made sure her best friend was safe. Acacia fingered the note she always kept in the pocket of her robes, thinking of the last time she'd seen Kadalia. Kady was more than a best friend to her; she was like the sister she'd never had.

"Be careful, Acacia," Obi-Wan said, as they grabbed their lightsabers and headed for the hatch doors. "I know you're excited, but you need to keep your head."

Acacia nodded, then closed her eyes and concentrated on calming herself. Obi-Wan was right. The only way to find her best friend was to keep calm and use her brain.

When she opened her eyes, Obi-Wan smiled at her. "Good. Now what was strange about our entrance to the planet?"

Typical Obi-Wan. Always taking time out to give her a lesson. It took only half a second for her to come up with the answer. "Lack of security," she replied.

Her Master nodded. "Right. We snuck onto this planet and no one stopped us, not even to ask about our business. Which means?"

"Something else is occupying their attention."

"Yes," he said, nodding again. "And that something else may help us or it may hurt us. Either way, we need to be on the lookout."

"I won't let you down, Master."

Obi-Wan gave her a soft smile as they stepped off the ramp leading out of the ship. "I'm not worried about that, Acacia. After all, you never have."

Acacia couldn't help the wide grin that spread across her face. She felt warmed from the inside out.

Which was convenient because the feeling didn't last long. As she turned away from the ship, she stopped midstep, shocked. She'd known they were landing in a rough part of Utapau, that Utapau had had some difficulties lately, but she'd never thought it would be _this_ bad. All around her, there were beings laying in the street, dead and dying. She heard the groans of those wounded, the crying of starving babies and small children. She could practically feel their grit, dirt and dust settling over her own skin in the cool, rotting air. The stench of decaying bodies lay over the smog, and she could almost taste it all on her tongue.

Turning to her Master, her eyes spoke a desperate question. _What happened here?_

Obi-Wan sighed and shrugged, as if to say, _I don't know_. "Come on," he said out loud. "We need to find Master Allie and her padawan."

* * *

"Padme, why can't you at least wait till the twins are born? Then maybe you'll be able to see that this isn't a good idea!"

"I _can't_, Anakin! For the last time, no!" Padme turned away from her husband, putting an exhausted hand to her forehead. It felt like the millionth time they were going over the same argument: her return to the Senate. But the yelling at each other? That was a first.

Padme heard Anakin leave, slamming her office door behind him, and she struggled to keep herself from crying. She was expecting a comm from Bail soon, and it wouldn't do for her eyes to be red and puffy, and her face all blotchy when he finally came through.

She hated arguing with Anakin more than anything, but why couldn't he understand? This was something she_ needed_ to do. And not just for the Galaxy, but for herself. In the same way as he got restless if he didn't have a near-death experience every other week, _she_ felt useless if she wasn't doing something to help people. And uselessness was a feeling she simply could not abide.

A quiet beeping filled the room, and she took several deep breaths to compose herself before she went over and sat down at her desk. She pressed the button and a holographic image of her head of security, Captain Gregar Typho, came up. Typho was a close friend and one of the few people she truly trusted, though even he didn't know all the details about Anakin. He was only aware that she was sheltering him, and, as he didn't believe what the Emperor had said about the Jedi anyway, he was completely willing to keep her secret. "Communication for you, milady," he said. "On your private line."

"Senator Organa?"

"Yes. I assume he is expected?"

"He is. Please put the communication through. And Typho?"

"Yes, milady?"

"Ensure that the line is completely secure, if you please."

He nodded, and his image fizzled and died. A few seconds later, it was replaced by the image of Senator Organa. "Padme," he said with a bow of his head and a smile. "You cannot imagine how much it pleases me to see your face. For a time, I feared the rumor of your death was true."

"I apologize that I had to take my leave without alerting you first. Health reasons."

Bail nodded understandingly and then moved right into business. "I must say, I was surprised to get your comm the other day. But we would be happy to have you back in the Delegation. We've... well, it's been very difficult lately, without your hand in things."

Padme smiled graciously. "I'm sure you've all managed very well. You took my advice, I hope?"

"Yes." He nodded. "We've all been feigning obedience as best we can without outright saying we support the Emperor's every move."

Padme nodded, too. "Good. Palpatine must know nothing of the continuation of the Delegation. We can no longer rely on democratic measures such as petitions for justice to be served."

"Padme," Bail said, after a short pause, "I hope you are not suggesting another war."

Padme shook her head. "Never, Bail. Though I fear it may come to that, I hope to regain the Republic without the use of violence." She paused a moment and her and Bail shared a look. Both knew just how improbable such a situation would be. "But what we will have to use," she continued, "are clever strategy and much secrecy."

He nodded. "Of course. I'll send you a comm when we've determined when and how the Delegation will communicate again."

"Thank you, Bail. We should meet as soon as possible. Time is of the essence."

"Agreed. You will hear from me soon. Until then, Padme."

"Until then."

After the communication closed, Padme leaned her head back against her chair and smiled a little to herself. Anakin would come around, wouldn't he? And, while she waited, she was already getting back in the game, so to speak.

And that was when _he_ reentered, just in time to shock her out of happy thoughts. She should've known her husband hadn't actually left, that he would know if Bail sent her a communication.

"So," Anakin began. His stance was casual, leaning against the wall, arms folded easily across his chest, but Padme sat up immediately when she saw him. The smoldering anger in his blue eyes was not to be ignored. "How long exactly have you and Bail been corresponding about this 'Delegation?'"

"Anakin-"

But he didn't let her finish. "You got so upset when I didn't tell you about Vader, and all the while you were keeping this a secret from me?"

"I _couldn't_ tell you, Anakin!" she burst out. "I wasn't the only person involved. I wanted to tell you. So many times, I _tried_ to tell you, but they didn't want any Jedi to know, and you didn't pick up the hints-"

"So it's all_ my_ fault?"

"No, honey. It's no one's_ fault._ But I couldn't tell you. I'm so sorry."

"Can you tell me anything now?"

Padme bit her lip. Whether the Jedi technically existed or not was of no consequence. She had no right to tell anyone about the Delegation without the other members' permission.

Anakin took her hesitation in and nodded shortly. "That's what I thought," he said bitterly. And then he spun around and stomped away.

Padme looked after him, but she couldn't bring herself to call him back. Instead, she put her head in her hands and cried.

* * *

**And there we have the cutest couple ever in a fight! Yes, I know I'm evil. All the same, thanks for reading and please review! :D**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey! Thank you so much for all your sweet reviews and for favoriting and subscribing! I love you all! :D**

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Chapter 8

Obi-Wan and Acacia started walking down the alley, attempting to ignore the beings who were making no such attempt at ignoring them. Now that the Utapauns had caught sight of the Jedi, they reached out pale, bony hands to them, eyes begging as if the Jedi were expected saviors.

Acacia did well up to a point, but when she saw a crying baby Utai, she couldn't help kneeling down and reaching for the child. Obi-Wan shook his head, though, sorrow in his eyes. "We must take care of what we came for, Acacia."

"But Master," his padawan turned sad, violet eyes up to him, "what's the use of being a Jedi if we're not going to help people? Kadalia and Master Allie are very resourceful; they're probably hiding out somewhere and would have to come to us, anyway. Perhaps we should help the people right in front of us, while we wait for the object of our other mission to be revealed."

"Your padawan speaks the truth and eloquently, too." Master Allie stepped out of the shadows, a rare half-smile on her face. Directly behind her was...

"Kadalia!" Acacia jumped up and went over to hug her friend. Kady laughed and hugged her back. "Oh Force, I _missed_ you, Kady."

The other padawan pulled back, grinning. "Missed you, too, Caish."

"Master Allie," Obi-Wan said, putting out his hand to shake hers. "It's a pleasure to see you alive and well in the midst of such circumstances."

Master Allie nodded. "The same to you."

"Would you be able to explain what happened here?" Obi-Wan gestured to the people around them, sweeping his hand in an arced motion. "We were here only a few months ago, and the planet was thriving then."

Master Allie nodded. "We know. The events that brought this about were rather sudden. But we cannot discuss these things here." She looked over her shoulders, staring at the surrounding beings with eyes fixed on the visitors. "Follow us."

Just before she turned and walked away, Master Allie looked down at the baby Acacia had reached for. "I see you've found Poluna. You should bring her along."

Acacia bent to pick up the baby. "Her parents won't come looking for her?"

Kady shook her head. "Not unless they can come back from the dead. Poluna's only one of many Utapaun orphans."

Acacia looked again at the baby's pale pink face and the big black eyes that stared into her own. She snuggled Poluna on her shoulder and held her close, wondering what it would feel like to be so small, and to see your whole world crashing down all around you.

* * *

Anakin stormed out of the house and was already halfway down the street before he wondered where in the Force he was going. He paused a second, but then kept right on walking. Since when had he ever bothered with silly little things like plans anyway?

He'd grabbed his cloak on the way out, so now he flipped up the hood and strode on. He knew that walking with purpose was the best way to avoid being stopped; shambling aimlessly along would only make you appear more suspicious. Besides, he always thought better the faster he moved.

_Things were supposed to get better when we came here,_ he thought bitterly. But it seemed as if everything was only getting worse. From the moment they had arrived, Padme had been upset with him for lying about Vader. And then, he'd had to re-meet her _wonderful_ family, most of whom very clearly hated him. And now, he got to find out that his own _wife_ had been keeping secrets from him for who knew how long.

The young Jedi came to a dock on the riverbank. All around him, there were laughing families and happy couples, pointing out the beauties of the river while eating sugar floss and candied jujos. He turned away and shook his head, wondering how they could be so carefree when the Galaxy had practically fallen down.

But then again, _they_ weren't separated from their only sibling. _They_ hadn't had their homes burned to the ground and half the people they considered family murdered. _They_ didn't have an evil clone and devious ex-mentor trying to kill them, or a spouse who refused to tell them the truth.

So maybe, for them, the Galaxy was right side up and spinning just fine.

_Just for a few moments,_ he thought, staring out at the blue-green of the water. _Just for a little while, maybe, I wish my life could seem like that._ Anakin honestly wasn't sure if he'd ever gone a whole day of his life where it seemed that everything was perfect. It certainly hadn't happened recently.

Eventually, Anakin had no choice but to turn away from the dock and head for "home," his wearied feet dragging every step of the way.

* * *

Meanwhile, Padme commed her mother and her sister and told them about her and Anakin's fight, though she didn't state the exact reason, only saying that the two of them had argued. Jobal and Sola didn't press the issue. They both knew perfectly well that some things were just between a married couple. They did, however, promise to come by and see her.

Padme told them what little she could about the fight and how Anakin had gotten upset and left, and both of the other women nodded sympathetically. "It's all right, Padme," Sola said. "You shouldn't worry so much. You two are married. Believe me when I say you're going to have fights - a lot of them! But you're also in love." She smiled gently. "You'll work it out."

Padme sighed, wishing she could just take her sister's word for it, but unsure if she that was really possible.

Sola turned to their mother. "Go on, Mom, tell her."

Jobal nodded at her youngest daughter. "It's true Padme. Since you're married and you live together, you're not always going to get along perfectly. But sometimes, you work it out."

"And other times?" Padme, being a senator, very plainly heard the hesitation in her mother's voice, the vagueness alluding to the extra information.

"Other times, well, other times, it's an indication that two people simply are not right for each other."

"Mama!" Sola rebuked.

"It's true, Sola." Jobal turned back to her youngest daughter. "I guess it's only fair to tell you the truth, Padme."

Padme tilted her head, staring warily at her mother. "The truth about what?"

"Your father and I... well, we have our doubts about Anakin."

Padme frowned. Though she was upset with her husband, Anakin remained her _husband_, and she was ready to jump to his defense at a moment's notice. "Why?" she asked."What's wrong with him?"

"Please don't get defensive Padme, dear. I want you to know that I only say this because I love you and I don't want you to ruin your life."

"Anakin's not going to ruin my life, Mom."

"Marrying the wrong person can ruin everything for you, Padme."

"A little late, Mama," Sola said, "she's already married to him after all."

"I know, Sola, but that's not the point. Padme, you and Anakin... oh how do I put this? You two have never had to spend a lot of time together, have you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes... what you think is love... well, it's only infatuation for what you cannot have. Anakin was a Jedi, therefore you were both unattainable for each other. Those snatches of time you got together seemed so precious because you so rarely got to see each other.

"But now, well now, you're married, you're living in the same house for what I daresay is probably the longest amount of time you two have ever stayed alone together. Perhaps... Perhaps you're relationship is finally showing it's true colors."

For a full minute, Padme stared at her mother. Finally, she got up the strength to shake her head. "That's impossible, Mama."

Jobal shook her head, too. "I'm sorry, Darling. But it isn't."

"Anakin and I love each other. Very much."

"I don't doubt that you think so, but-"

"No buts!" She shook her head. "We had a _fight_. It doesn't mean we never loved each other."

Sola nodded her agreement with her sister, and Jobal simply shrugged, not wanting to fight. "Maybe you're right."'

But Padme knew her mother didn't agree with her. And, though she knew in her heart that she loved Anakin more than anything, she began to wonder if he truly, honestly felt the same about her.

* * *

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**Author's Note: Both sugar floss and candied jujos are foods I made up for this chapter. Sugar floss is like cotton candy and it's a play on the names it has in some other countries (Fairy floss and Candyfloss). Jujos are my Star Wars version of apples, so candied jujos are like candied apples.**


	9. Chapter 9

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* * *

Chapter 9

After half an hour of trekking down dark alleys, Acacia, Obi-Wan and the rest came to a tall, old-looking building. Marching up to the door, Master Allie placed her fingertips over the gray brick just to the right of the doorknob, and a greenish light emanated from the wall, slipping down her right hand. After a few seconds, it pulled back, something beeped, and the ancient door slid wide open.

"Nice technology," Obi-Wan commented, walking in.

"Thank you," Master Allie replied. "Please, sit down."

As Acacia did so, her eyes wandered around the room, taking in everything around her. She couldn't help her surprise at how modern and homey the room appeared, in such great contrast to the archaic appearance of the outside. The inside walls were painted a warm red-orange color, like the autumn leaves of Naboo, and the floors were a sweet red-brown. Everything in the house was similarly colored: from the two couches, to the desk by the left wall; from the chair beside the desk, to the circular rug spread out over the floor, all of the furnishings were in varying shades of red, yellow, and orange.

"Did a sun explode in here?" Acacia asked.

Kadalia smirked and chuckled. "Looks that way, doesn't it?"

"This is Poluna's house," Master Allie explained. "Her parents decorated it this way, I believe."

"Did you know them?" Acacia asked gently.

"Only very briefly. After they died, Kadalia and I decided to take care of Poluna for the time being until we can locate her relatives. Kadalia was supposed to be watching her when you arrived." Master Allie turned a raised eyebrow to her padawan.

"Hey, it's not my fault," Kady said, putting her hands up defensively. "That kid can _move_. I mean, you blink and all of the sudden she's crawled away."

"So I see," her Master replied dryly.

"So, you're not exactly in distress?" Obi-Wan asked, trying to steer them back to the topic for which they had come.

"Not exactly," Master Allie agreed, "but it was the only way we could get a message out to the Council. Most of the normal out-of-planet communications are down, but the emergency equipment tends to stay on, no matter what the circumstance."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I see."

"What are you two doing here, though?" Acacia asked, shifting Poluna to a more comfortable position on her lap.

"Well," Master Allie began, as she sat down on the bright orange armchair, "we were stationed nearby, in the Glova system, when our clones turned on us. We escaped and stole a ship, hoping to make it back to Coruscant. But we ran out of fuel near here.

"It was during that time that we met Poluna's parents. Bright and cheery people as you can see," she gestured ruefully to the colorful furnishings in the room, "but they were also leaders of the resistance to the Emperor on Utapau.

"Because the clones were already on the planet, Palpatine had decided to go ahead and begin setting up his Outer Rim government here. None of the Utapauns took very kindly to that, and several battles ensued, leaving the planet devastated and war-torn. Poluna's parents, Gabrianne and Adrianno, were trying to both help the injured and homeless refugees, as well as keep the Emperor from maintaining a firm hold on Utapau. Sadly," Master Allie shook her head as she remembered them, "Both Gabrianne and Adrianno were killed only a few weeks ago."

"I'm sorry," Acacia said.

Master Allie nodded. "Death is a part of life, young Acacia," she said gently. "While difficult, it is a fact that must be accepted."

After a few seconds of reverent silence, Obi-Wan asked, "Why did you send out the distress message?"

"Like I said, it was the only way we could get a message out to the Council. But what we really wanted was some Jedi reinforcement."

Obi-Wan frowned. "I'm not sure about fighting any battles right now, Stass."

She shook her head, eyes shining. "You must be sure, Obi-Wan. You _must_. I know we are supposed to be the peacekeepers, but the Emperor has waged war on us, and there is nothing we can do but fight back."

Obi-Wan and Acacia exchanged a look, and both of them slowly nodded. How could they do anything but see the truth in Master Allie's words? This was their chance to fight back against the Emperor, to set up some form of a resistance to him. If it took root, it could spread throughout the Galaxy, eventually bringing the return of the Republic and true democracy.

"So you'll do it?" Master Allie asked, leaning forward, her voice holding an uncharacteristic edge of eagerness.

Obi-Wan nodded again. "Yes, Stass. My padawan and I are in."

* * *

By the time Anakin returned, both Sola and Jobal had already left, but it didn't make the evening with his wife any less awkward. Not even C-3PO's joke attempts while he served them dinner could get the couple to so much as make eye contact with each other.

After they finished their meal, Padme sat down to read and Anakin went out on the balcony to meditate. But he couldn't concentrate for even a millisecond, for thoughts of Padme kept slipping into his mind. He closed his eyes tighter, forcing himself into the Force... but there she was again, slipping past his defenses and giving him that sad, sad look she'd worn the whole time they ate.

Anakin sighed, gave up, and opened his eyes. It wasn't that he didn't _want_ to reconcile with her, just that he didn't know how. He chuckled ruefully to himself, realizing that, in all the time they'd been married, this was the first that they'd had a serious fight with nothing like a battle or a near-death experience to bring them close again. He sighed once more, staring out on the land and the lake, wondering if he really knew what he was doing with this whole husband-father thing.

_After all, you've never been very good with anything that didn't contain slicing someone up or taking a machine apart._

Eventually, it grew dark and he knew Padme would be heading to bed. He wasn't sure he wanted to imagine how the night would go with them still at odds, so he didn't bother. Instead, he simply went inside, changed out of his clothes, and laid down beside her. The two didn't even say goodnight to each other; they just flipped off the lamps beside their bed and closed their eyes.

But moments later, Anakin bolted up again. "Sith, Padme," he cursed. "I can't _do_ this anymore."

She sat up, too, fully awake, and propped herself up on her elbows. "Do what?"

"This!" He gestured between the two of them. "Our little fight thing. Force, Padme, it _kills_ me to be at odds with you."

She looked down, playing with a lock of brown hair that danced over her shoulder. "I don't like arguing with you either, Anakin. But I'm going back to the Senate and I'm going to continue to be a senator. And that's that."

She turned over and laid back down again, knowing she'd never go to sleep after ending it this way. But then, she felt the coolness of his metal hand against her bare shoulder, and she rolled over a little to look at him. Her husband had a resigned, but determined look in his blue eyes as he said to her, "Then maybe, I'll just have to be OK with that."

She blinked, surprised. "Really?"

Anakin sighed. "I still don't like it, Padme. I still wish you would stop being so stubborn and stay here where I can protect you better.

"But if you're so determined to go back... Well, I'd rather be in your good graces then brooding here at home."

Padme grinned at her husband, then leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the lips. "Thank you, Ani." He smiled a little, but she could tell it was forced, seeing the anxiety in his eyes. "Don't worry so over me," she added.

"I can't help it. You're planning on going exactly where _they_ can hurt you."

"I'm not worried."

"Yes, that's what worries me even more."

Padme giggled. "No, silly boy. I'm not worried because I know you'll be there to protect me."

Anakin picked up her hand and brought it to his lips, laying a feather-light kiss on her knuckles. "To my last breath, Padme, I promise to keep you safe."

"I believe you. But let's hope it won't come to that."

Anakin nodded as they both laid down for the third time. As Padme closed her eyes again, she felt Anakin wrapping an arm around her side, placing his hand gently against her stomach. She smiled as she laid her own hand on top of his, so glad to have their spat over with and resolved. _Obviously, we're more in love than you thought, Mom._

"Good night, Angel," Anakin whispered in her ear, just before she drifted off to sleep.

"Good night, Ani. I love you."

Anakin's sweet chuckle in her ear as he repeated the words back to her were the last things Padme heard before she fell into slumber.

* * *

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	10. Chapter 10

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* * *

Chapter 10

Early the next morning, directly after breakfast, Obi-Wan and Stass were in the living room, making battle plans. Acacia and Kadalia stood a little ways away, watching as their Masters pored over maps of Utapau, deciding on the best routes to get to the best place to wage the battle.

"One decisive battle is what we need," Stass said. "One to sweep away all of the Emperor's bounty hunters and mercenaries. If we don't have one, solid, decisive victory, Palpatine will be able to send in reinforcements."

Obi-Wan nodded his agreement. Then, "Wait, you mean, they're not clones?"

Stass and Kadalia shook their heads. "No," Stass answered. "Palpatine removed the clones shortly before we came here. Apparently, they were needed in other, more important areas of the Galaxy. It's the Outer Rim, so there's an abundance of mercenaries and bounty hunters, even a few droid warriors, all willing to 'keep the peace' for a few credits."

"More like a few hundred," Kadalia muttered.

"Or a few thousand," Acacia added.

"Either of you planning on a career in such?" Obi-Wan asked lightly.

Both of the girls struggled to keep smiles off their faces as they shook their heads. "No, Master Obi-Wan."

"Good," Stass nodded at the two of them. "Poluna will probably wake up soon. You two go and prepare a bottle for her."

Kadalia nodded. "Yes Master." Turning to Acacia, she added, "Trust me, you do not want to deal with that child when she's hungry. She has exactly _no_ patience."

"Sounds like someone I know," Acacia whispered back, thinking of her brother. And her best friend.

"Whatever," Kadalia said, rolling her eyes. "Come on. I want to talk to you anyway."

As Acacia had learned the previous evening, the whole Autumn-on-Naboo color theme applied only to the living room. The kitchen, on the other hand, was decorated like the ocean. The walls were all painted sea green and the appliances, from the refrigerator to the counter in the middle, were varying shades of aqua blue. The kitchen made Acacia think of Naboo as well, but in a different way than the living room did. It made her think of Naboo in the summer, with sparkling waters and rolling hills.

_It looks like this now_, she thought. And she wondered what Anakin and Padme were doing, if they were right now swimming in these same vibrant colors.

But then she pushed the thoughts of her brother away. She was on a mission, after all. Now was not the time to get her head all muddled by concentrating on him. Besides, Anakin was perfectly safe. For once. It was herself - and Obi-Wan, Kadalia, and Stass - who she needed to worry about.

"So," Kadalia began, as she prepared the bottle. "How's Anakin? Did he... Well, you know."

"Huh?" Acacia asked. "Oh you mean, is he alive. Yeah, he's fine, totally fine. I guess you didn't hear, did you"

"Hear? About what?"

And so, with a proud smile on her face, Acacia told Kadalia how her brother had saved the entire Jedi Order all by himself.

"Wow," Kadalia said when Acacia had finished. "That's amazing."

"I know. It sounds kinda weird because I'm younger than him and everything, but really, I am so proud of him."

Kadalia laughed while she checked the formula mix boiling on the stove. "Well, you should be. I can't imagine how Master Obi-Wan must feel."

"I think he's pretty proud, too."

"So where is Anakin now?"

Acacia paused a second before answering. Though the Council knew the truth about Anakin and Padme's marriage, they had not yet allowed the information to go any farther, and Acacia wasn't sure if she was allowed to tell Kadalia or not.

But her friend waved away her worries. "It's fine. I understand. The Council still has their secrets."

Acacia smiled with relief. "Between you and me, I think they have even more now."

Kadalia nodded, but she didn't smile. "Yeah, they probably do. Grab that bottle on the counter will you? We've gotta pour this stuff in so it'll cool a little before Poluna drinks it."

"Sure," Acacia said. She grabbed the baby bottle on the island and carried it over to the stove. There, Kadalia very carefully poured the warm liquid into the bottle.

As Acacia capped it, Kadalia added, "Sometimes I think they have too many secrets."

Acacia looked at her friend, eyebrows furrowed. "Who? The Council?"

Kadalia nodded. "Yes. I mean, we're all Jedi right? Shouldn't we get to know more of their secrets?"

Acacia frowned. "I don't know. Often, in the War, clones were on a need-to-know basis, with only the Generals and Captains knowing the full plan. I think that's the way it is with the Council."

"But we're not clones. So why aren't we allowed to know more?" Kadalia lowered her voice to a hiss to ensure that their Masters didn't hear.

"I... I don't know, Kady." Acacia shook her head. "What's brought this on, anyway?"

Kadalia sighed, slumping back against the counter. "I don't know. It's just that... me and my Master, we've felt so alone out here. I _know_ it wasn't the Council's fault that we couldn't reach them, but, at the same time... Caisha, even now I'm not completely sure what we were even _doing_ in Glova. It just seems like... like there's always more secrets, more lies. Not even the Council - the Jedi, the ones who are supposed to be the good guys - will tell you everything."

Acacia nodded. "I get what you mean. With Palpatine and everything... well, it makes you wonder who you can really trust."

Kadalia nodded. "Yeah."

"But I'm pretty sure that the Council is the one place Palpatine has not managed to infiltrate."

The other girl chuckled wryly. "Let's hope."

Before Acacia could reply, both girls heard a piercing whine coming from Poluna's room. Acacia turned to her friend. "Is it ready yet?"

She tested the bottle on her wrist and shook her head. "No, it's not quite cool enough. Uh... how 'bout this? You go get her and I'll grab some ice to try to cool this thing down a little."

Acacia giggled. "You think that'll work?"

Her friend flashed a grin. "Let's hope," she said again, and Acacia hurried off to get the screaming baby.

As she rushed down the halls, the walls changed from soft blues and greens to sandy tans and light browns, with the occasional dash of pink here and there. This time, the warm hues reminded her not of Naboo, but of her home planet, Tatooine. The night before, she had closed her eyes, standing in the room she'd been given, a room of tawny ochre and light brown. She'd spread her arms and breathed in, imagining she could feel the air of Tatooine and smell the scents of her father's moisture farm.

The fantasy had not lasted long, and she had gone to bed feeling more homesick than she'd felt in years.

Arriving in Poluna's room, she ignored the colors on the walls and went straight to the crib, picking up the baby in her arms. Poluna quieted almost immediately and Acacia smiled at the baby as she carried her back to the kitchen.

She thought of her own brother's children. They'd be born in only a few months. She wondered if she'd be there to see the birth.

And then, with the coming battle, she wondered if she'd be alive to see them at all.

She pushed the thoughts away as she came into the kitchen, forcing a smile for her friend and the baby. "Did the ice work?"

Kadalia nodded. "I think so. Let's see if she notices a difference."

Acacia handed Kadalia the baby, and watched as her friend shifted Poluna in her arms and held the bottle to her small, puckered lips. Poluna latched on immediately, sucking happily away. Kadalia looked over at Acacia and winked. "Success!"

Acacia laughed. "Looks like it. She's really downing that thing," she added, when a quarter of the bottle was gone only seconds later. "What's in it that she likes so much?"

Kadalia rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Don't ask."

Acacia laughed. "OK, I won't."

As Kadalia finished feeding the baby Utai, Acacia pulled herself into a sitting position on the counter and looked around the kitchen, thinking again of her room and her thoughts of Tatooine the night before. "You know, uh, I thought Utai lived in caves and stuff. But this house," She gestured around the room with her right hand. "It's really nice."

Kadalia nodded. "Most do live in caves and stuff. But if you'd known Poluna's parents, you'd understand. They weren't average. They were just... I don't know, different." Kadalia shrugged and sighed a little, and Acacia decided not to press the subject any further. Clearly, the deaths of Gabrianne and Adrianno still weighed on her friend, and she didn't wish to upset her anymore.

A few moments later, Poluna had downed the whole bottle and she burped contentedly. Kadalia handed the baby to Acacia, saying, "Come on back to my room. There's something I want to show you."

Acacia nodded and followed her friend. Kadalia's room was more pinkish than Acacia's, but even if it had been the exact color of the Tatooine sand and sunshine, it wouldn't have caught her attention the way Kadalia's prize did.

"Stars and galaxies, Kady," Acacia murmured as her friend brought it out. "Is that _Grievous' cape_?"

Kadalia nodded, rushing over to close the door behind Acacia. "Sure is. I found it while I was exploring a few days after we got here."

Acacia laid Poluna down on the bed, then knelt on the floor by her friend to examine the cape. Its gray outside and red-violet interior were just as she remembered. As she reached inside the pockets of the velvety material, Kadalia nodded. "The lightsabers are there. I checked for them myself. I don't know whether or not that's all of them, but there are at least four."

Acacia nodded, remembering her own promise to herself only a few weeks before, when she'd thought that she would be the one to retrieve Grievous' "trophies." Not that she was upset that Kadalia had been the one to do it, but, now that the prize was in front of her, she wasn't sure what they should do about it. "Have you shown it to your Master?"

Kadalia shook her head. "No. Grievous killed one of her closest friends." Kadalia pointed to the lightsaber in the leftmost pocket. "She's under a lot of stress right now, you know? Plus, she was a lot closer to Poluna's parents than she wants you and Obi-Wan to know, and I know she's still grieving a lot over them, no matter what she says. I just... I don't wanna make things worse. Especially not now, with the battle ahead."

Acacia nodded. It was the students who were supposed to learn from the teachers, but occasionally, it was the apprentices who had to protect the Masters. "I understand. So we keep it a secret for now?"

"For now." Kadalia agreed. "I'll tell her later, maybe after the battle."

Acacia nodded again. As she brushed her fingers over the cape one last time before Kadalia hid it away again, Acacia felt her heart burning with hatred for the being who once wore it. Her logical, Jedi mind told her the emotion was useless. After all, she knew he was dead - stars, she'd skewered the monster on her own blade.

And yet, she hated him so much, she wished she could be in that moment once more. So she could kill him again. And again. And again.

Acacia shivered from the coolness of her own hatred and pushed the evil thoughts away. Even though she knew they would only come back again.

* * *

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	11. Chapter 11

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* * *

Chapter 11

Acacia's heart was still pounding when they left Kadalia's room, but she did her best to disguise it as they came upon their Masters, still in the living room and still staring at the maps. "Got a plan of attack?" Kadalia asked, shifting Poluna to her other shoulder.

Her Master smiled. "Something like," she said. "I've just called the other members of the resistance together. They'll be here in a little for a meeting."

Minutes later, a quiet bell sounded throughout the house. The members of the Utapaun resistance had begun to arrive. Coming in by twos and threes, the humans, Pau'ans, and Utai entered the old on the outside, new on the inside dwelling. When everyone was gathered together, Stass stood. "Glad to see you all could make it," she began. "This is Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi-"

"And his padawan, Acacia Lars." One of the Pau'ans spoke up and smiled a little, barely showing his sharp teeth. It took Acacia only a second to remember the face.

"Administrator Medon," she greeted, and her and Obi-Wan bowed slightly.

"A pleasure to see you well," Obi-Wan added as he straightened.

Medon nodded. "Thank you and likewise. But you may call me simply Tion. I am no longer Administrator."

"Oh?" Obi-Wan asked, as they all sat again.

"Tion was removed from office," Stass explained.

"Yes, Our _Emperor,_" the Pau'an rolled his eyes, "suspected I opposed him. He wasn't wrong in that, but he _was_ wrong in thinking he could stop me by removing me from office.

"I'd known Adrianno and Gabrianne for years. When they called upon me, I was happy to help with their resistance."

"We've been happy to have your expertise on the planet," Stass said.

He smiled graciously. "I've done what I could."

"I heard you guys had a battle plan?" One of the two human males spoke up. He frowned, lounging on the blood red sofa and looking bored silly with all the pleasantries.

"Take a chill pill, Clayton," Kadalia snapped. "They're getting there."

Clayton narrowed pale green eyes at Kadalia, but she glared right back at him.

Stass cleared her throat, slicing through the tension. "Master Kenobi and I have discussed it, and the battle will take place the day after tomorrow. Here's the plan."

The padawans listened carefully as their Masters outlined the strategy by turns, nodding with the others as Stass and Obi-Wan spoke. "Everything clear?" the former asked when they'd finished.

Everyone nodded, and Acacia and Kadalia added in unison, "Crystal."

* * *

After the meeting was over and everyone else had left, Obi-Wan and Stass decided to give their padawans a training test to ensure that they were prepared for the battle, following weeks of relative inaction. After a grueling, two-hour-long session, Acacia and Kadalia, exhausted both in body and mind, collapsed in the former's room. They laid down on the bed, one at the head and the other at the foot, watching Poluna play with her toes while their Masters "evaluated" their progress.

"How do you think we did?" Acacia asked her friend.

"If we didn't pass with flying colors, I'm quitting the Jedi Order," Kadalia replied.

Acacia laughed. "I'll be right behind you." She cocked her head to the right. "You hear that?"

Kadalia shook her head. "What?"

"That sound. Like a ship's landing nearby." Acacia grunted, pushed herself to her feet, and shuffled over to the window. She pulled aside the thick, brown blinds and looked out. There, in the distance, she could just make out the burning thrusters of a large space cruiser coming in for a landing. "Definitely, someone coming. Pretty close to where Obi-Wan and I landed."

Kadalia stood and walked over to her, nodding as her eyes verified what her friend had said. "I'll go tell the Masters."

Acacia nodded. "I'll go with you. You think Poluna will be all right if we go out for a few minutes?"

Kadalia looked at the baby. "She should be fine, as long as we hurry back over here."

The girls walked down the hall as fast as their weary legs would carry them. Arriving at Stass' room, Kadalia knocked and opened the door. "Sorry to interrupt," she said, when her Master and Obi-Wan looked over at them, "but a ship just landed. Around the place you and Acacia did."

The Masters exchanged a look and leapt to their feet, the girls right on their heels. Halfway to the front door, Stass turned. "Poluna?"

The girls winced. "In Acacia's room."

"You know we can't leave her here alone. And it's only fair if both of you stay and watch her."

As much as they wanted to go, both girls knew better than to argue with the older Jedi. So they both nodded reluctantly. "Yes, Master Stass."

"If it makes you feel any better," Obi-Wan said, just before he walked out the door. "You both passed the test with flying colors."

Kadalia and Acacia looked at each other and shrugged. That would have to do. For now.

* * *

The girl stood in front of the hatch doors, watching as they lowered, waiting for them to complete their descent before she stepped out onto the ground below. She knew that coming to Utapau and bringing all of her followers was a risky move, especially since she didn't know how many Jedi were on the planet. Or what they would think of her "operation." Or what they would do to her if they didn't like it.

But she had done the best she could with the knowledge, strength, skills, and people that she'd had. They'd have to respect that at least. Wouldn't they?

The girl shrugged off doubts. A leader had to be strong at all times. Even when in her own thoughts.

The hatch doors lowered, and she held up a hand to stop her second-in-command from stepping down with her. In case this didn't work out - in case there were hostiles - she wanted everyone else to be able to make a clean getaway.

She climbed down the ramp, watching as they approached. The two Jedi. The first, the tall man with the red-brown hair, mustache, and beard. Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Negotiator. She smiled. Lue-Ann would have a fit when she finally saw her hero in person.

Beside him, was the Tholothian Master, Stass Allie. She had dark skin and violet eyes, and whatever hair she may have had was covered by the traditional Tholothian headdress. The girl knew that they both had padawans, though she couldn't remember either of their names right then. She wondered where they were.

Maybe they'd died.

If so, perhaps these Masters would be interested in taking on one of her crew as an apprentice.

But, as she watched them approach, she had a feeling there would be none of that. Oh, they were going to pretend to be welcoming enough, but she knew they were wary of her. Of them all. She could _feel_ it.

Master Allie spoke first, reaching out her hand as if in friendship. "What is your name, young one?"

"Are you the Jedi?" the girl asked. Obviously she knew who they were, but it was always better to get your opponent to admit something about themselves before you let any information slip.

Master Allie and Master Kenobi exchanged looks. "Perhaps," the Negotiator said.

"You are," the girl nodded, beginning to smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you Master Kenobi, Master Allie." She watched as they exchanged looks again, then finally decided to reveal her own identity. "You see, I'm a Jedi, too. My name is Ahsoka Tano."

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**Author's Note: So what do you guys think of the new cover? Do you like this one better or the other one?**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello again! Thank you so much for all of your reviewing and other support! :D**

**To the reviews asking about Ahsoka: This is an alternate universe, so Anakin and Ahsoka have never met before. Most of the times in The Clone Wars (not all since Acacia is Obi-Wan's padawan, not Anakin's) it was Acacia there, not Ahsoka. I'll explain more about Ahsoka's background in this story in the following chapter.**

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Chapter 12

Ahsoka watched as the two Masters exchanged a look. Master Kenobi asked, "Where are you from, Ahsoka?"

"A planet near here."

"How do you know who we are?"

"Oh, don't be so modest, Master Kenobi. You and your former padawan, The Hero Without Fear, your praises are sung in every part of the Galaxy. Well, _were_ sung," she corrected herself ruefully. "Pretty much every Jedi knows your name and has seen your picture.

"As for you, Master Allie, you're no small-planet, no-name Knight yourself."

"Thank you," Master Allie said, "but flattery won't get you far here."

Ahsoka shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "I was not attempting flattery. Those are just the facts."

"Mm-hmm." The Masters nodded. "Are there many others on the ship with you?" Master Allie wondered.

"Some. But you see, I'm sort of like their leader," Ahsoka said, seeing the direction the conversation was turning, "and I'd prefer that they stay there. I'll come with you if you like. Tell you about who we are and how we got here."

"We?"

"There's quite a few younglings and teenagers on the ship."

"How many?" Master Kenobi asked.

Ahsoka shrugged. This was taking too long. "I didn't exactly count."

The two Masters exchanged a look again, then went off a short ways to speak in private. Ahsoka could've tried to listen in, but she had no doubt that they would invite her to come with them. The Masters were already too curious, even if they'd never admit it in those words.

She backed up a few steps, still keeping her eyes on the conversing Master Jedi. "Chet?" she whispered.

He popped up immediately. "Yes?"

"Stay with the young ones, Chet. Leave if I'm not back in an hour and a half."

"But-"

"No buts, Chet!" she hissed. "This is either our chance or it isn't, all right? Now do it. Promise me."

He frowned, but nodded. "Fine."

Chet ducked back out of sight just as the Masters turned around, and Ahsoka was back in her spot at the bottom of the hatch. "If you'll come with us," Master Allie said, "we have a place for you and all of your crew to rest while you tell us your story."

Ahsoka shook her head. "Thank you, but that's all right. I'll come alone for now, and bring the rest along if we decide to stay."

The Masters shrugged, probably having already figured that she would answer this way. She stepped off the hatch and followed Master Allie; Master Kenobi walked behind her. She didn't risk a glance back, but she heard the quiet creaking and then the loud slam as the hatch door rose up and shut behind her.

She took a deep breath through her mouth to calm herself... and immediately wished she hadn't. Up until that point, she hadn't noticed the stench in the air, the smell of rot and death and decay. She had been too concentrated on her crew and on the Jedi Masters to notice anything else around her.

But she could see now just how devastated and war-torn the planet was. Beings lay in some of the gutters, tattered, bleeding, dying. Ahsoka frowned, but forced herself to look away. She, after all, had seen things just as terrible.

It was the way of the Emperor's Empire.

Master Allie nodded as they passed. "We wish we could help more of them," she said, "but many are simply too far gone in their injury and sickness, and we have to stay hidden. We do what we can, when we can."

Ahsoka nodded, but she didn't believe her. It was probably another lie to make the Master feel better about the little she found time to do.

They walked a ways, Ahsoka silently taking in all that was around her, carefully watching both her Utapaun surroundings and the Masters before and behind. Just in case.

After a while, they arrived at a tall building. Master Allie marched up to the door and placed her fingers over the space just to the right of the knob. A light shot out, glancing over her hands, before it tucked itself back into the old-looking brick wall. The door clicked, opened wide, and the three of them stepped inside.

Everything in the room was either red, orange, or yellow, so bright Ahsoka wanted to shield her eyes. Obviously, this was no place designed by any Jedi, particularly not the great Negotiator or Master Allie. Perhaps they were just as stranded as she and her crew.

Two girls sat side by side on one of the couches. One was dark-skinned, the other was light. Both had dark hair, and the dark-skinned one held a baby Utai in her lap. She still didn't remember their names, but she assumed they must be the Masters' padawans. And the way they were watching her, Ahsoka couldn't tell if they would be for her operation, or if they would be as against it as she feared their Masters would be.

"Take a seat, Ahsoka," Master Allie said, gesturing toward a chair.

"Thank you." The girl sat, still watching the others as she was introduced. The dark-skinned girl was Kadalia, the light-skinned one was Acacia, and the Utai baby was Poluna. Ahsoka nodded a polite hello, masking her wariness behind it.

Once the pleasantries were finally completed, Ahsoka opened her mouth and began to speak.

* * *

It was just something about the other girl, Kadalia thought, from the moment she walked in, that made her like her. Something about her that said she was strong, a leader to be respected. She had orange skin and head tails like a Twi'Lek, but the horn-like projections on top of the head tails told Kadalia she wasn't like any Twi'Lek she'd ever met. And something about the girl's air, told Kadalia she wasn't a normal Jedi padawan, either.

Maybe it was that part, the non-normalness of her, that made Kadalia like her even more.

Ahsoka opened her mouth and began to speak. "Well, as I said before, I'm Ahsoka Tano, and I'm a Jedi padawan. I and my crew come from a planet in the Tarraba system, Tarraba Prime. We were a branch of the exploration corps."

Kadalia and Acacia exchanged a look. The corps were where the Council stuck all the Jedi younglings when they reached thirteen and still didn't have a Master. Some younger children went there, too, those who seemed to have little interest in combat or who wished to be placed in the corps.

It was said that they were just as important as the other Jedi, the ones who went on missions and became famous across the Galaxy, while those in the corps toiled either on Coruscant or on obscure Outer Rim planets, doing whatever it was kids in the corps did.

Somehow, Acacia and Kadalia had never quite believed that being a true apprentice to a true Master and being in the corps were equal jobs.

And they sensed Ahsoka didn't either.

"We were out on an exploration mission," Ahsoka was saying. "A test really. To see how well we all could work together. We completed our mission successfully, but when we returned to the base, all the Masters... they'd been massacred." Ahsoka's voice fell to an almost-whisper. "A few of the younglings had survived, hiding under beds and in hidden panels as the Masters had told them to. But even some of the smaller children, those who'd been caught or who hadn't done as they were told..." Ahsoka trailed off, swallowing carefully to strengthen her voice before she continued. "Even they had been killed.

"We didn't know what had happened, but we knew we couldn't stay at the base. So we packed up everything and went to hide out in the nearby woods.

"Eventually, the younglings that were there during the attack told us about the clones, how they came in and murdered everyone." She frowned. "But we still didn't know _why_."

"We can explain that to you," Acacia piped up. "It happened all over the Galaxy."

"Really?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan said, "but we'll get to that later. Why did you decide to come here?"

"One of ours is something of a computer genius, and he intercepted the distress message Master Allie sent out. When we heard there were Jedi nearby, we decided to come. To see if you could help us and if you could tell us what happened."

"How have you survived all this time?" Master Allie asked.

Ahsoka shrugged. "We knew the planet. We knew how to hide from the clones and where to get food. It's mostly why we hadn't left already. We were... surviving there."

Obi-wan nodded. "And there are no masters left with you."

The girl shook her head. "Not one."

"I am sorry, Ahsoka," Master Allie said, reaching out to place a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder.

She shrugged, immediately regaining composure. "You said you knew why the clones attacked us?"

And so, Obi-Wan and Stass explained about Order 66. Ahsoka shook her head in disbelief when they were finished. "I knew Palpatine was evil, but all this time, he wanted to kill the Jedi?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes. It came as a shock to us all."

"Are you the only Jedi left alive?"

"No. There are more, scattered across the Galaxy," Obi-Wan said. "When we've finished our mission here, we'll take you and everyone with you to see the Council on Coruscant. They'll assign you new Masters."

Kadalia thought she saw a flicker of something pass over the other padawan's face, but it was gone so fast, she wasn't sure if it had truly been there.

Ahsoka just smiled at the Masters and nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

It had been a long day. After she'd finished telling her story, Ahsoka had returned to the ship with Master Kenobi to gather the twenty younglings and padawans there and bring them back to the base. They'd had to do it quietly, only a few at a time, to make sure the Emperor's bounty hunters and mercenaries didn't catch a whiff of what was going on. Nearly all of them were stationed in other parts of Utapau, since this area was one of the most devastated and war-torn, but all the same, you never could be too careful.

When they'd finally gotten everyone, it seemed as if the huge house had shrunk to less than half its former size. Children of many ages and species were _everywhere_, and it had been more than difficult to get them all fed and settled down somewhere to sleep for the night. Secretly, Ahsoka didn't believe the Masters could've done it without help from her, Chet, and Lue-Ann. After all, the three of them had become like Masters to the other children during their unofficial exile.

But now, it was late at night, and her, Chet, and Lue-Ann lay in their room at the back of the house. The Masters hadn't wanted Chet to sleep in the same room as the two girls, but there simply hadn't been room for him anywhere else, and once they'd explained that Lue-Ann was Chet's twin and Ahsoka and Chet had been sleeping in the same confined space for some time now, they'd had no other choice but to be all right with it. Still, none of the three doubted that the Masters would be back to check on them several times during the night.

It was why they were having such an important conversation now, just after Master Allie's last check in. "Do you think we should take Master Kenobi's offer?" Lue-Ann wondered. "I mean, wouldn't it be great to be apprenticed to someone so _famous_?"

Chet scoffed. "_Please,_ he already has a padawan, and I doubt he's planning on taking on another. Besides, why _should_ we take it? Personally, I like the gig we got going now way better than anything we ever had with the Jedi."

Ahsoka nodded in the dark across the room. "Chet's right. I like being more... independent, you know? I think we should let the younglings go - they definitely need older people to look after them. And anyone else who wants to take the offer, too. But_ I'm_ planning on leaving as soon as their battle thing is over."

"Really?" Lue-Ann asked. "It was your idea to come after we intercepted their distress message."

"I know," Ahsoka admitted, sighing. "It's just... they weren't what I thought they'd be."

Lue-Ann nodded, understanding.

"I could've told you that," Chet said. "In fact, I think I _did_."

"Whatever, Chet."

"I don't know," Lue-Ann said. "I think I might want to be formally trained."

"Why?" her brother wondered. "We've already been rejected by the Jedi once, and were they there for us this past month? Did they send anyone out for us? No. The Council isn't looking out for us now, and maybe they never really were. We aren't Jedi anymore, Sis. We're just the Defenders."

Silence reigned in the room for several moments, before Lue-Ann whispered, "Those are dangerous words, Brother."

"No." He shook his head. "They are words of truth."

Ahsoka sighed again. "Perhaps. But I think for now, it would be better not to let anyone overhear you."

_Too late,_ Kadalia thought, as she slunk back to her room before the other padawans sensed she was nearby.

* * *

"So what do you think of them?" Stass asked Obi-Wan, after they'd finally gotten all the padawans and younglings to bed that night. "There seems to be something of a darkness in them, I think. Especially in the older ones. It's like they're cloaking something, trying to hide it from us. And with someone so young leading them, it would be difficult for them not to go astray."

"Perhaps they're simply wary," Obi-Wan said carefully. "They've been on their own for a long time."

"Perhaps," Stass agreed, sensing that the other Master didn't wish to discuss the matter further.

The truth was, Obi-Wan felt that he_ couldn't_ say anything. There was something about the children, especially the three young leaders, Ahsoka, Chet, and Lue-Ann. Something that reminded him of Anakin and Acacia.

And of a much younger version of himself.

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	13. Chapter 13

**Hello! Thank you so much for reviewing, favoriting, and subscribing! Love you all! :D **

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Chapter 13

"He _said_ that?"

Kadalia nodded, shifting the sleeping Poluna in her arms as she laid the baby down in her crib. "It's not _so_ surprising, Caish."

The other girl raised her eyebrows. "You don't think so?"

"Well, I mean, I just kind of wonder... if he's not kinda right."

"_What_?"

"Well, the Council _didn't_ send out anyone for them," Kadalia argued defensively. "And what about the other Corps? Where are _they_? What's happened to _those_ kids? They might not have had anyone like Ahsoka or Chet or Lue-Ann to help them know what to do. They could all be _dead_."

Acacia chewed on her lip. "The Council had other things to worry about," she said, but even to herself she didn't sound convincing.

Kadalia scoffed. "Maybe at the beginning. But now? What are they doing? Nothing but _counselling_, which is all they ever did. We're the ones doing all the real work."

Acacia shook her head stubbornly. "It's not that simple, Kady."

"Maybe," Kadalia shrugged, as she turned to walk out the door. "But I'm planing on learning more about this Defender thing. You coming with?"

And, without waiting for her reply, Kadalia turned and walked out the door. Acacia knew she had to keep her best friend out of trouble, so she followed. Even though something told her that this could not be going anywhere good.

* * *

As it happened, they didn't get to talk to the other Jedi teens until later that afternoon, when all the younglings were napping and the other, younger padawans were running through a few drills with Obi-Wan and Stass.

Kadalia walked right into their room, interrupting the three in the middle of a conversation. "So, what are you guys _really_ doing here?"

All three of them looked up at Acacia and Kadalia, then looked at each other. "What are you talking about?" Chet asked.

"I heard you last night. You," she pointed at Chet, "mentioned the 'Defenders.' What are they?"

Lue-Ann groaned. "I _knew_ you shouldn't have said anything about that, Chet. I just _knew_ it."

Chet silenced his sister with a sharp look and turned to the other girls with a sneer. "So what're you gonna do,huh? Run to your precious Masters and tell on us?"

Kadalia raised her eyebrows, unfazed, as she got down and sat cross-legged on the floor with them. Acacia sat beside her. "No. Quite the contrary, in fact. I want to know more."

Chet glanced at Ahsoka, who was watching Kadalia with an appraising look in her eyes. "What do you want to know?" Ahsoka asked.

"First off, what exactly are you Defenders _of_?"

The Togruta girl's face broke into a smile, and Kadalia knew she'd asked the right question. "The Light side of the Force. But mostly, the little guy."

"Who's the little guy?" Acacia asked, getting into the game.

Ahsoka offered her a smile as well. "Those of us in the Corps. Those people out there whose homes and livelihoods have been stolen by the Emperor. You know, everyone who just gets overlooked."

"That's a lot of defending to do."

Ahsoka shrugged again. "We could always use more people."

Acacia raised her eyebrows slightly, then lowered them and nodded. "I'm sure you could," she said, meaning that she had no intention of joining them.

Kadalia, on the other hand, kept her eyes on the leader of the young Jedi group. "Yeah, I guess you probably could," she agreed. But when _she_ said that, it meant that her mind was churning, turning over and over, inside and on itself. Wondering. Wondering if she'd just found the place where she belonged.

_But I can't leave Stass_. Her Master had done too much for her, sacrificed and taught her _so_ much. How could she just up and leave when this group did? It wouldn't be _right._

She held in a soft sigh and stood up with Acacia. Then, after taking a final look at the close-knit trio, she turned and followed her best friend out the door.

* * *

"Padme, perhaps it would be better if you stayed for just a _little_ while. You could wait at least until your children were born before you returned to the Senate."

Anakin kept his chuckles inside as he watched Padme's mother make the same futile arguments he himself had tried a few days before.

"Thanks, Mom," Padme said, slightly breathless. "But I think I'll be OK."

"Dear, _look_ at you!" Her mother clucked. "You're all out of breath. Here, pause your packing for just a moment and_ listen_ to me."

Padme looked prepared to object, so Anakin gently took the shirt from her hands and gave her a soft smile. "I'll take it from here. You should do as your mother says."

Padme sat gratefully and smiled back at her husband. "Hoping she'll convince me to stay here?"

Anakin shrugged as he folded up the tunic and placed it inside a travel bag. "If she can succeed where I failed, more power to her."

"Oh, so you did at least_ try _to convince her to stay?" Darred asked, standing in the doorway of the room with Ruwee, both present for the same reason as Jobal.

Anakin turned away, hiding his frown at Darred's tone. Why was it that his brother-in-law had to make a point of being a pain in the you-know-where every waking _second_? "I did. But as I'm sure we've all figured out by now, Padme's a pretty independent woman." He turned to his wife and winked. "Once she's made up her mind, there's no changing it."

Padme rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Shocking that I married a man of the same disposition."

Anakin shrugged again and continued her packing. "Isn't it?"

"Honestly, Padme," her mother said, trying to steer the conversation back to its original topic. "I don't see why it can't wait."

"Because it _can't_, Mama. This is the justice of the _Galaxy_ we're talking about."

"But does that have to be your problem? Isn't your health and that of your children more important at the moment? Even your husband has stopped his traipsing about the Galaxy to be with you in your last trimester!"

Anakin struggled to hold in an angry scoff. As if it had been his _choice _to have the Temple destroyed and the Galaxy taken over by a Sith Lord!

"Mama, I can't count on anyone else to step up and go against the Emperor; it's not like that anymore. And if the Emperor's control grows too great, then it will be more of a risk to my children than my going to a Senate meeting, particularly considering that I am in _perfect_ health."

"_Perfect_ health? You were out of breath just moments ago."

"That's normal later in pregnancy, Mama. You know that."

"But you're having _twins._ All the more reason for you to relax more."

"I _will_. But this meeting is important and I am _going_."

Jobal threw her hands in the air. "Sola, help me please."

Sola looked up from where she'd been helping Anakin pick out an outfit for Padme to wear on the return trip. "You know I think she should stay, Mama. But it's like Anakin said, she's a grown, independent woman and she can make her own choices. Personally," she added with a glance at her own husband, not having missed the way he took a shot at Anakin at every available opportunity, "I think it's great that Anakin's letting her make her own decisions rather than forcing her to do his will."

Ruwee and Darred both frowned, but Anakin turned to Sola with a smile. "Thanks," he mouthed.

She winked, mouthing back, "No problem."

"Am I the only one who is thinking of Padme's health right now?" Jobal muttered.

"Not the only one," Anakin replied, placing the last item of clothing in the bag and zipping it up. "But it's not like she'd listen to a planet-full of people if they went against what she thought."

Padme winked at her husband. "You know me too well."

Anakin winked back. "Isn't it the truth?"

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	14. Chapter 14

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Chapter 14

"So, you ready?"

Acacia looked over at her best friend and nodded. "As I'll ever be."

The two girls walked down the hallway and into the living room, where Stass was conducting the final meeting before the battle that day. Everyone else was already there - all of the Utapaun Resistance, as well as Ahsoka and her people.

"So," Stass was saying, "with the addition of Ahsoka and her corps warriors, we're having a very slight change to the plan. Lue-Ann, you're staying here. We need a person to watch the younglings, keep them safe just in case someone comes this way. Now, I understand it's not the most glorying job, but-"

The blond-haired girl shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'd actually prefer it to being in battle."

Chet scoffed, muttering something derogatory about his sister, and Ahsoka stamped on his foot without taking her eyes off the Jedi Master. Chet bit his lip, but he didn't make a sound. Instead, he picked up his foot and silently rubbed the injured toe.

"Well, I'm glad you feel that way, Lue-Ann," Stass said. "It'll definitely make things that much easier.

"It's not like it'll be much of a battle, anyway," Clayton complained. "We're just picking them off, like _we're_ assassins ourselves."

"A pity it's not action-packed enough for your tastes," Kadalia replied, "but we'll try to accommodate you better the next time."

To Acacia's surprise, Clayton did nothing but smile and wink at Kadalia's snapping tone. "Don't worry about it," he said. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again."

Chet and a few of the others laughed, but Kadalia rolled her eyes in annoyance, and it didn't take long for Stass to become tired of the silliness, too. The Master cleared her throat once, and all attention was back where it was supposed to be. "Like Clayton said," she continued "we're mostly picking them off slowly and drawing any that remain to the open field here." She pointed at the map on the table. "Admittedly, they'll be able to see us better, but combat will also be easier. You all know your stations?"

Everyone nodded. For those who stayed at Poluna's home, they'd all been briefed on their stations the night before; and for the rest, they hadn't changed, remaining the same as Stass had announced them when they'd gone over the plan a few days before.

"All right then," Stass said, "get to your stations, everyone. We're moving out."

* * *

"So, what is it with you and Clayton?"

Kadalia gave her best friend a sideways glance. "You really think this is a good time for that, Caish?"

Acacia nodded. "Yeah. We're not at our stations yet, and it'll make us look like two normal kids just out and about for the day."

"We're _human_, Caish." Kadalia shook her head. "We stick out on this planet."

"_Fine,_" Acacia said, throwing her hands in the air, "_Be_ a Polly Party Pooper. See if I care."

The two girls walked in silence for a few seconds, but finally, they looked at each other out of the corners of their eyes, and burst out laughing, hiding the giggles behind their hands.

"This is insane!" Kadalia tittered.

"I know!" Acacia agreed, trying to control her sniggers. "We should be more serious today of all days."

"But what you said-"

"Don't repeat it!" Her friend interrupted. "It was silly, I know, but we'll start laughing again if you do."

Acacia's suggestion didn't help; they nearly doubled over in snickers again, anyway. "Good thing our Masters can't see us right now," Kadalia said, when she'd regained some control.

"Very, _very_ good." Acacia nodded her agreement. "So, are you gonna answer my question?"

Her friend shrugged, sobering quickly. "There's nothing really to answer. We just rub each other the wrong way, is all. He's always so... I don't know. _Annoying._" She paused, then added in a mutter, "Plus, he's Force-Sensitive."

Immediately, Acacia saw the problem. "Stass is thinking about training him, isn't she?"

"Yeah," Kadalia admitted with a sigh. "I told her he was too old, but she says the Jedi can use everyone they can get."

"Well..., you know, Kady, she's kinda right."

Kadalia sighed again, kicking a stone in their path as she nodded. "I know. And so does she, and so does Clayton. But she's my Master. _Mine_." The other girl shook her head and shrugged. "I'll just have to get used to him, I guess."

_I wonder if this is how Anakin felt about me_, Acacia thought, and she felt a bit guilty. But then, she remembered all the good things that had come of being apprenticed with her brother and she knew that neither one of them could truly regret it.

Maybe it would be the same for Kadalia and Clayton.

And maybe not.

* * *

Acacia sat at her post, watching, waiting. The two bounty hunters she'd been assigned were supposed to come around in less than five minutes. And she was nervous. It had been some time since she'd fought anyone for real, and, even though she'd passed her test, this was... well, it was different. It wasn't a freaking _test_. This was the real deal.

She looked across, just a little ways away. Hiding behind another boulder was Kadalia to her left and, farther off, Ahsoka to her right. There would actually be six people on this round. Two for each of them.

The bounty hunters and mercenaries came into sight as Acacia turned back, and the girl's body tensed in anticipation.

_It's go time._

* * *

Anakin looked out from underneath the cowl of his hood. His skin crawled, feeling the Dark Side near. Every Jedi instinct in him screamed that he should seek the source of it out. Seek it out and _end_ it.

But there was another instinct, a far stronger one. The one that commanded him to protect the love of his life at all costs.

And that was the one he obeyed.

His eyes jumped back to Padme, who strode stately ahead of him and her two handmaidens, Dorme and Sabe, who also doubled as bodyguards. They had been with Padme while she was queen, and they were one of the few who had been chosen to remain in Padme's service after she'd stepped down from that position.

It had been difficult to convince Padme that he had to be there. Not that he was asking for her permission, perse, but if she was going to risk her life doing something so crazy, well then, by all means, why shouldn't he join her? Besides, as he'd explained to her, there was no way he'd be able to sit still back at her Coruscant house, going crazy with worry over her. He was likely to get himself into some other kind of trouble - arrested, put in jail, and possibly executed - if he didn't go to the Senate meeting to protect her!

At least, that's what Anakin had told Padme. She'd laughed and shook her head, but at least she'd stopped arguing.

And now, here he was, keeping an eye on everyone and everything, and making sure that no one got too close.

It had been a hard choice, deciding whether he ought to simply disguise his face, or go with a more mysterious approach. In the end, he'd gone for the latter, wearing light makeup just in case his hood slipped off, and trusting in the mystic aura surrounding his person to keep most anyone from approaching.

So far, it had worked quite well.

They entered the Senatorial - recently renamed Imperial - lobby a little late, exactly as Padme had planned. They were greeted by gasps and a few faints, as the senators, kings, queens, and other representatives laid eyes on his wife. He tensed, watching, waiting, feeling in the Force. But there was no malice towards her. Only shock that she was, in fact, alive.

"Padme," Bail Organa stepped forward and took her hands in his, smiling down at her, "It is so good to see you alive and well."

Anakin couldn't see his wife's face, but he could hear in her voice that she smiled back when she replied, "The same to you, Bail."

And then she was practically mobbed as people came forward and asked where she'd been and what had happened to her, and she gave the same vague answers they'd practiced over and over on the way from Naboo to Coruscant. "I had an unexpected decline in my health and had to return home to Naboo." "It happened too quickly to contact anyone." "I've only recently been well enough to come back." And on and on and on.

Of course, as they slowly made their way through the crowd, eyes eventually turned to Anakin. He could feel the gazes on him, but he stood as tall as if he couldn't, appearing to ignore their glances. Whispers began to travel. "Who is _he_?" "What is he doing here?" "He couldn't be her_ husband_, could he?"

Anakin chuckled at just how right that one queen happened to be.

Padme's voice rose above the noise. "He is my bodyguard. An attack was made on my person not long ago, by whom we do not know. But it has become evident that extra security is required for me, and so I hired him." Then, she turned and headed for the Senate - now Imperial - podiums, an air about her that allowed no further questions.

Those who were not already headed in that direction followed her, and all the Senate - or now Imperial Council - members filed into the Imperial Building's main room.

Still, Anakin hung back and he sensed that someone else was doing the same. The loud _huhhh... khhhh_, alerted Anakin to the second reason that everyone had made such a hasty entrance into the main area of the Imperial Building.

He turned to face Vader, looking straight at the formidable foe to show he was not afraid. _I killed you once. Don't think I can't do it again._

As if he'd heard his thoughts, Vader gave a small nod, turned and simply walked away. Anakin did the same, though headed in the opposite direction to join his wife and her colleagues.

Sidious still wanted him to join the Dark Side, Anakin knew that. It was why the Emperor would not publicly announce the presence of the Jedi, even when he had all the power to have Anakin thrown into prison or even executed. That sort of blatancy just wasn't Sidious' style.

Anakin had known that. It was how he knew that he could come to the Imperial meeting without fearing for his life.

All the same, he also knew that none of that meant he was safe.

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